


Swell

by J-Bfan (Mysterie), JackfrostTruefrost300



Series: Mortal Guardians [6]
Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Depression, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Multi, Older Jamie, Self Harm, Sex, Spirit Jamie, cursing, dark personalities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-28 20:26:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 32,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3868660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterie/pseuds/J-Bfan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackfrostTruefrost300/pseuds/JackfrostTruefrost300
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when the pain of injustice over takes the normally kind-hearted and fun loving winter spirit.... when darkness takes over the one he loves to act as a guide to this new Jack? Fear and Chaos rein, who can stop them? When a dark secret comes to light, who will be left standing in the aftermath?  </p><p> </p><p>Sequel to Alignment<br/>[6th installment]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Darkest Night

Shadow raises an eyebrow at Jack.

 **"Oh will I? Just like I did when Jakul took what he wanted from your little light? Oh... he's not around anymore is he? Or maybe how Pitch "paid" after he ordered you to kill the one you loved most... Face it Frost... you haven't made anyone ever pay for anything. You don't have the will to take it that far..."**  She grins at him.

 **"Punishment, on the other hand... oh yes... He can..."** Jack shudders, feeling the cackle of Punishment going through his head. Jack falls in the snow, writhing in pain. Gasping and squirming as he tries to get away, far away; knowing that she was the trigger.

"I-i won't let you out!" Jack cries out in pain as the mental poke from Punishment becomes a stab.

"GET OUT OF ME!" He yells at him as Punishment laughs at his pain, slowly taking control of Jack's body. Shadow just laughs.

 **"You can't fight forever Jack. Just let go why don't you? It's useless to fight."**  Jack crawls away from her out into the snow around the workshop, trying to be as far from the mess as he can be; he pushes hard, screaming out as he finally manages to push Punishment back with raw willpower. Jack breathes heavily.

"Because I won't give up. I'm n-not as weak minded as you are." He tries to mentally jab at her as he speaks angrily, pain in his tone as he struggles to stand, wobbly. He starts to walk away, ignoring her as he winces and yelps, limping. Shadow laughs.

 **"Is that so? Then how is it I was never played like a puppet by that nightmare maker? Why does he FEAR me and yet he CONTROLLED you?"** Jack ignores the barb, muttering to himself.

"I... I don't know anymore..." He says weakly, sadly not able to say anymore. Jack tries to get away as fast as he can, feeling himself being taken over almost completely.

"Get out, get out." He mutters to Punishment who just laughs at Jack, whispering to Shadow.

"He is almost in our grasp." She grins.

 **"You are more weak than you would like to admit... which is endlessly amusing... You know... something about what has happened recently broke her... I wonder what that could have been..."**  She watches Jack with endless amusement.

 

 

Jack stops moving, freezing in place; breathing was hard for him.  _It's all my fault... it's all my fault she's like this..._ Jack shakes his head as what feels like a fiery whip wraps around his head and he screams in agony, ever so slowly his appearance begins to change; his hoody now a dark blue, a shawl wraps around him, black as darkness and his eyes become red as a demons. Smiling reveals fangs and he chuckles of his own accord, now merged almost fully with Punishment. He did not control Jack, just showed him the right direction.

"So, when do we have fun?" Jack asked, laughing darkly. Unaware of the difference, Shadow simply smiles.

 **"Come and I will show you..."**  She shoots into the sky and they head off to Burgess. Jack smiles, still having the urge to make it snow; it snows lightly as he holds his head but fights off his good side; darkness forcing its way into him and he is slowly destroying the light within him. Punishment is now just giving him pointers, soon to be in full control.

"So, now what are we going to do?" Jack asks. She just smiles and lands in a part where there is a small gathering of college students. Among them is a face that Jack would know fairly well... Sophie Bennett.

 **"That is up to you... have fun.."**  Jack looks into the ground, the need to punish overriding all senses. His mind is in a red haze and he turns to red mist as he slips through the crowd, the young man talking is the first to be killed as he is choked; Sophie and the others can only watch in shocked horror. 

"Hello believers." Jack says with a nasty smile, fangs poking out at them, those who could see him stood with eyes wide with terror.

"Hello and goodbye." Jack says as ice slams into the other four bodies around Sophie, piercing their bodies and killing them. They were a bloody mess around the college woman, who was left alive since his light side wouldn't allow him to kill her. Sophie could only stare in horror at the winter spirit she had thought she'd known, but no... he was different. This wasn't Jack who had always brought her snow and had been the one thing her brother had talked about non-stop in his life... This was... someone else...

 **"You missed one!"**  Shadow calls out. His sadistic smile changes to a dark frown as he turns back to Shadow.

"Leave her alone." He says with slight pain.

"She is of use at the moment, let her spread the fear." He says, trying to sound convincing as Jack took control fully once more, Punishment harms him internally, painfully in attempts to regain control. Shadow frowns, but then shrugs.

 **"Very well. Let's find some more then... in a place more crowded perhaps?"**  Jack nods, still inwardly fighting but he's in control now. Shadow leads him to a mall, a famous one known as the Mall of America and gestures to the levels of people milling about despite the late hour.

"Let chaos reign!" 

 

 

Jack chuckles darkly, playing the part, but each person that he passes that he realizes believes in him he whispers for them to run. Unaware that Shadow was watching, he feels pain ripple through him but he covers it up as he bites his tongue and starts to make it snow hard in the mall. He didn't want to hurt those inside, but he needed to give a good show too... he needed to get these people out of here... Shadow doesn't seem to notice as people scatter in fright. Even as a voice seems to quietly whisper in their minds.

 _Always darkest before the dawn..._  

Jack follows some of the people closely, believers, giving them quiet reassurances that it would be okay. Along the way he sees a couple of girls who look at him in fear, having heard some of the rumors going about and Jack looks away; afraid that Shadow will figure out that Jack is free of Punishment's control. He looks to her.

"I'm going to go punish some people, you go on ahead and scare those I've left alive." He says, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Alright, have fun..." She chuckles and races off after some of the people he'd mentioned to scare the daylights out of them further so that they will spread the fear, rather than actually harming them. As Jack walks by some people that can see him cringe now, as the fear is so great that even adults are believing not only in him, but in the rumors too. He raises a hand to sush them and reassure them that he's good, but to still pretend to cringe and be afraid so not to alarm Shadow or attract her attention... that he was going to help them. Punishment was being held back by Kree's faint light, thank god for that as Punishment was about to scream at Shadow to get her attention and rat him out. Kree's light flickers a little, she's just barely holding Punishment in check now but she murmurs encouragement to Jack; taking strength from him now as she's been completely severed from Mysterie, not that Mysterie has noticed as she lay dormant as Shadow flies from place to place around the entire planet now... Darkening the skies and sending fear rippling across the Earth as night darkens even more. The moon's light blocked completely by her darkness. Jack gasps as pain hits him like a train and he quickly tries to cover the pain with a mask and escort as many people away from the area as he can while Shadow is busy scaring others. Jack's good will and the relief that comes from the humans he's helping helps her to shine in him like a star and push back the pain and darkness, she whispers quietly to him.

"Jack... if you can get enough people to feel gratitude... I think I can do something about her..." Jack nods, the people were slowly being led away from Shadow, when she was around, and Jack pretends that he's chasing them and people do as he silently asks... going along with his act without any trouble. Meanwhile in the false sunlight of the Warren, the Guardians gather in a meadow; each weary and working to bandage each other. North's arms are wrapped up tight from the cuts he'd sustained there, Bunny looks like a half done mummy with all the bandages that he is wrapped in; Tooth had several bandages along her arms and legs; Sandy was the only one who didn't have any physical wounds but he looked exhausted beyond anything. The Guardians gather around Jamie in concern, Sandy is doing his best to fight off the influence of nightmares, but he shakes his head sadly as Jamie whimpers, curling up; he's trapped inside the nightmare and Sandy is exhausted as it is from the battle that had been a disaster for the five of them...


	2. Deception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own "Into the Darkness" by The Phantoms

Kree glows more brightly in Jack, though he can feel it, no one can see it.

"Just a few more..." She whispers. Jack smiles, but quickly wipes the smile away, replacing it with a mischievous one so that Shadow doesn't notice, the children who see him start to notice what he's actually doing and start radiating belief and hope, but fear is still in their hearts even as a couple more people were rescued and led to safety. Kree's light floated from Jack just as Shadow was returning back to the mall again to inspect his work, her eyes widens as Kree takes form.

 **"YOU!"**  Kree smiles.

"Yes... and it's time we settled this once and for all..."

 **"I couldn't agree more."**  Shadow snarls and the two collide, darkness and light setting off a blinding mix of light and a dark cloud as the two battle. The clash of the two opposing forces made it impossible for any to really tell what was going on, aside from the obvious fact that two opposing forces were fiercely clashing. Though nothing could be seen by anyone else, there is a blood curdling cry... but by which of the two no one can tell and there is a sudden blinding flash of light. In the resulting silence, all that can be heard in the sound is a song playing somewhere in the mall...

_War is coming_

_War is crying out_

_The world is shaking_

_The sky is falling down_

_The sky is falling down_

 

_Into the Darkness - we are one_

_Into the Darkness - we all must run_

_Into the Darkness - we'll burn a light_

_Into the Darkness - we all must fight, well all must fight_

 

 

When it all vanishes after a moment there is nothing in the air anymore and all the damage that had been done to the mall in the battle and before then seems to have been fixed. For a moment there isn't a sign of anyone except a figure who seems to be peacefully resting, curled up against a fountain; a white cloak with black linking hiding most of their appearance. Jack looks around, worry evident as he hopes that no one was killed; he looks at the figure as people begin to gather around the fountain in a loose circle. Some whispering in curious fear at the figure while others look up at Jack; there is not a single person, adult or otherwise, in the building who doesn't believe in Jack now as they look up at him in grateful wonder. Jack shudders a little as he walks closer to the figure, creating an icy wall between the figure and those around in fear for their safety. Everyone watches, seeming to be collectively holding their breath. She doesn't stir though, her breathing even as she simply seems to be sleeping. Jack kneels beside her, brushing a strand of chestnut hair from her face; at the touch her eyes slowly open to reveal sparkling emeralds beneath. The crowd only watches, waiting to see what will happen next. Jack smiles.

"You took quite the nap." He says, brushing dirt off her and letting the ice wall dissipate. Mysterie smiles back and everyone around the two seems to relax. Hearing the sounds of the crowd, surprise flickers in her eyes and she begins looking around.

"Wait... can they... they see us?" Jack nods and hugs her close. He turns to the crowd and gives them a smile. Cheers begin to ring out along with applause; she just sort of sits there, dumbfounded as she's not sure what to make of all these sudden new believers. After a moment she just smiles, not sure exactly what had all happened.

"Let's go home." Jack says, after giving her a kiss, which she returns despite that the applause seems to get louder and there are a few whistles in the crowd.

"Sounds good to me." She murmurs. Jack picks her up bridal style and leaves, snow starts to fall gently around the mall as he heads back to the ice cavern. One thing suddenly came to his mind.

"Where's Jamie?" He begins also wondering where the others are, remembering that the workshop had been ruined. Mysterie thinks a moment, but shakes her head as memories of recent events are hazy and almost nonexistent.

"I... I'm not sure... My connection to him is too faint... I think I'm too far from him to pick it out. I... I can't even really remember what's happened... All I really remember is falling asleep...."

"It's okay Mysterie, we'll find them." Jack says, his breathing starting to get heavy as he was weakening and slowly falling. He asked one last request of the wind, to keep her aloft as he fell from the sky as he lost consciousness. The wind did as asked, though Jack didn't fall far as silvery gold sand wraps around him, pulling him back to her. She holds him close, murmuring quietly.

"Perhaps we should both rest for the time being, please wind... take us home." Much as she would like to find Jamie and the others, she knows that they were both too exhausted to search now and trying would be futile. The wind complies to the request, gently blowing back Jack's hair slightly as if in a motherly caress before taking the two of them to the ice cavern. Jack is out cold for a very long time; not moving, not even a twitch of an eye lid. Mysterie settle Jack into the bed, having only enough strength left herself to crawl in next to him before she falls into a deep, dreamless sleep.

 

 

The next morning, Jack wakes gasping, fear coursing through him a moment before he sees Mysterie peacefully sleeping next to him; he rubs his head and groans as a pounding headache beat there. Mysterie stirs at the feeling of fear and pain from the bond, she yawns, murmuring.

"Jack?" He looks at her and relaxes, but still the pain is there and Jack groans, going to the bathroom.

"I'll be right back." He kisses her on the cheek. She smiles a little, despite that a pounding headache from the day before still throbs in her head. She sighs a little when he's in the other room.

In the Warren the others have mostly recovered and Sandy seems happy that Jamie seems to have finally settled as the nightmares seem to stop; Jack takes something for the headache and starts to take a well needed shower. When he looks at his arm he notices something strange, it looks like a black smudge but when he tries to wash it off it turns out that his veins are black.

"WHAT?!" He gasps. Mysterie's headache slowly ebbs, though it takes effort and she feels a little tired from it. The black veins ever so slowly fade and Jack leans against the tile walls, breathing was hard for him all of the sudden.

"I though it would end." Then he remembers what Kree had said.

 _"You have to learn to understand and accept him..."_ Jack shook his head, he couldn't accept him. For a brief moment Mysterie's eyes flash red before returning to their original color, she sighs... knowing too well that being forced to merge with Shadow meant that trouble was not fully over... She only wishes it could be. Jack groans in pain.  _Why.... why..._  He hits the tile as he collapses, but something is different this time; it usually feels like he completely blacks out when he's being taken over but this time he is still in control; but he can hear Punishment's voice forcing him to walk into the other room. Mystrie struggles as she can feel Shadow prodding at her and she sits up as Jack walks into the room again; she stretches, but not entirely of her own accord. Jack shudders and gasps as he sees Jackson in the mindscape, staked to a pole with blood flowing freely from him; the others are screaming or either coughing up blood.

"No NO!" Punishment snickers.

"Yes... I'm on my way to punish those foolish Guardians hehe!" Mysterie smiles at Jack, a red tint flashing briefly before its gone.

"So now then... I wonder where they went..." She says as she stands up from the bed. 

"Jackson knows where they are." Punishment smirks and turns inward to the bleeding out spirit.

 

 

"Now you will tell us where they are, I know you can see the future." Jackson spat at his feet, growling Punishment grabs a dagger; stabbing him in the stomach and twisting. Jackson screams but doesn't relinquish the information and so Punishment has to restart, searching his mind, which was very painful as he talks through Jack.

"They're in the bastard rabbit's den." 

"Ah... let's pay them a visit then shall we? I think we should stay in disguise; however... I personally like this new look..." She grins.

"Yes." He smirks cruelly and Jack screams, yelling and attacking Punishment mentally. He growls at Jack.

"Will you shut it Jack." Jack growls at him, glaring as he turns to her.

"Hmmm... Shadow, you know how to manipulate minds to do what you want correct?" He smirks.

"How about Jack take the wheel and kill the Guardians and at the end we'll kill his believer together." 

"Ah! Splendid, I do so love a good show... I owe that little Light of his anyway. Here... let me see if I can't shut Jack up for a little while hmm?" She places her hand on Jack's head, silver and black sand washing over him and inside his mind the others fall silent; but it is not because she silences them... instead... with darkness she blinds Punishment and appears to Jackson. She hastily mends what Punishment has done and speaks quickly.

"I don't have much time. I can only blind him to you for a small moment. Please trust me... You must all hide. Remain silent and out of his sight for a while. I will only have this one chance to take him by surprise." She turns to Jack with a reassuring smile as he stands with the others.

"Be ready... we will only have this one chance to beat him into submission... I love you..." She withdraws, knowing she can count on them to do as she has asked. Jack smiles as they do as she asks and he waits for the right moment in silence. Punishment looks around a bit as if testing the silence before chuckling. 

"Let's go." She smiles.

"After you pet." She gives a bit of a flourish, indicating the door. Punishment chuckles.

"With pleasure." He cackles as he brings a storm to Burgess as he moves out of the cavern, she follows him out of the door and leads him to a secret entrance to the Warren she had discovered that was just outside of Burgess itself. It was a short trip.


	3. Merge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own the movie The Seeker: The Dark is Rising, that is quoted in this chapter. I also do not own "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy

Punishment chuckles as they stand in the shadows of the tunnel entrance she and led him to.

"How shall we do our entrance?" He smirks.

"I think you should darken the Warren and I will make it below zero." She grins.

"Alright, me first then... as they say... with the darkness comes the cold..." She couldn't help but think of the line from a movie that had ran to obscurity due to its lack of popularity in which the villain had said:

_Now with the darkness comes the cold._

She pulls at the magic that sustains the Warren with its light with her own and shouts of alarm go up from the Guardians as she moves through the darkness towards them while Punishment works on lowering the temperature... She had to wait for the perfect time to strike... She needed to lure him out into the open. Mysterie went to Jamie in the darkness while the others were confused about what was currently going on. She kneels next to the other light spirit, restoring him.

"Stay down for now, wait until I give the signal... then give it everything you have." She whispers quietly.

"Right." He whispers back.

"This can't be good mates..." Bunny says, withdrawing his boomerangs and the others prepare for battle as well as she moves through the darkness to return to the tunnel that she knew Punishment was at.

"The light spirit is still well out... This should be a piece of cake..." She giggles to Punishment who laughs darkly.

"Well, well... if it isn't the Guardians all trapped in a cage like rats." He says as he moves towards them, they glance around in the dark as if they could pierce it to find him, but there was no way they could see more than a hand's length in front of them at best. Punishment laughs as ice slices towards them snow that swirls about the Warren now.

"This should be a snap." The Guardians dodge the blows, Mysterie simply watches; waiting for him to close in for the kill... which is when she plans to strike... It's the only time; a lot of the ice that isn't dodged is deflected away from Jamie who lies still, though he stiffens a little at the sound of Punishment's voice. Punishment chuckles, using the darkness to his advantage, sneaking up behind Bunny as he goes in for the kill with a dagger of ice in each hand. Mysterie sends the message to Jamie from where she's at, it's a mental 'ping' that says "now." Jamie leaps up and lights up the area like a lighthouse beacon, melting the daggers and sparing Bunny who spins around only to have to shield his eyes. The Guardians are all forced to do so as she lights the place up suddenly like a solar flare; Jamie and her pouring their light magic straight at Punishment who screams loudly in pain.

 

 

"YOU BITCH! YOU LIED!" He swore, cursing them and trying to get away from the light. Mysterie floats towards him.

"Oh yes... I most certainly did lie... And it will be the last thing you ever know..." She hisses as sand swirls around him, trapping him and holding him to the ground as the light continues to intensify with her anger at him, fueled by her love for Jack and her determination to do whatever it takes...

"Take it... take the chance now!" She whispers softly and from within Jack Kree sends out a burst of her own light, adding to the light that surrounds him. Jack gasps, breathing heavily as Punishment is unwillingly being fused with him; it was painful and Jack screams, just as Punishment was doing but Jack's pain was worse. The concern from the Guardians and their care for Jack only adds to the intensity of the light, even though they are blinded by it at the moment. Jamie and Mysterie pour everything that they are into it. Jack gulps for air as the merge takes him back to the moment he had drowned, for that was how Punishment had been created. The bond between Jack, Mysterie and Jamie grows stronger with the passing moment and Jamie openly weeps as he feels the same sensations as Jack is and Mysterie gasps as an involuntary reaction... A spike of old fear going through her as she remembers being faced with that very thing she was was a young human... Still alive... and had nearly drowned herself... Jack screams as if under water, screaming his lungs out as he remembers this fear. Mysterie can't help but reach out to him, cupping his face with her hands; whispering softly as she fights back her own fear and memories.

"Jack... it's okay... I'm here..." Jamie puts his hand on Jack's head, his tears wetting the ground nearby.

"I'm here too..." He manages, his voice strained. Jack just screams as his fears come back to his mind; the darkness, loneliness, death and many more. He begins to cry.

"P-please don't leave me alone... please don't leave me." He cries out as fire seizes his heart. Mysterie holds onto him tightly as does Jamie as the two say simultaneously.

"We won't leave you alone, ever." Jack coughs up black water, physically; he was drowning again, he was sure he was drowning again in that pond.

"N-no please... I don't want to die... not yet... I don't want to die..." Their light purifies the black water instantly, unable to stand up to the purity of two of three sources. They keep a hold of Jack, not entirely certain of their success but nor do they give up on him. Jack looks towards the bright light beyond that looks like the moon and gasps as he sees the familiar smirk of Punishment.

"I guess this is it for me Jackie... Just know though you'll always have a bit of punishment in you to do the job." He says with a chuckle. Jack screams in pain, physically and mentally, as Punishment melds with him. No one hears the mindscape scream, but Jamie and Mysterie sense it. Jamie seems worried but the flare of it disappears when Mysterie sends both of them soothing thoughts through the bond. Eventually the meld was finished and Jack just floated through the darkness for a moment, stuck in unconsciousness. There was silence, Jamie and Mysterie shared the same thought at that moment. _Please Jack... come back to us..._ Jack's unconscious mind wandered slightly and the strangest thing came to his mind...

 

_Some legends are told_

_Some turn to dust or to gold_

_But you will remember me_

_Remember me for centuries_

 

_Just one mistake_

_Is all it will take_

_We'll go down in history_

_Remember me for centuries_

 

Jack gasps as the light slams into his lids and he gasps out as his conscious mind returns, he looks around; fear surging in him at the moment and he shakes from adrenaline pain as the blinding light slowly fades; Kree is the first to retreat... Jamie and Mysterie simply wink out from exhaustion... Jamie before her though his light is more pure. Jack looks around in confusion, shaking even as tears of joy streak down his face. He smiles and hugs both Mysterie and Jamie gently as their power winks out; he hugs them both, crying joyfully for a good few minutes. Jamie sighs in relief, the Guardians look at the three of them with intense relief. Mysterie buries her head against Jack as relief floods through her, tears of joy silently falling and freezing on his hoodie... at least part of the nightmare was over... Jack collapses into unconsciousness, happy to sleep for once as he was so exhausted. Jamie and Mysterie look over to Bunny who nods a little in understanding.

"Right... This way mates... glad I had guest beds up in." Mysterie raises an eyebrow, a little surprised at that, but the two follow him through the Warren to a small section that was newly built. A cabin of sorts and inside they find several rooms, each suited for each Guardian; Jack's was painted in light blues and soft tones, it took both Jamie and Mysterie to settle Jack into bed. Not that he was heavy, but because they are so exhausted themselves from the effort the merge had taken. Jamie is shown to another room by North while Mysterie stands before the others. Bunny seems uncertain as he looks at her in confusion, not sure whether to give her a room or.... but she gives him a soft smile.

"It's okay... if you have such a place here in the Warren... it's probably best." He nods.

"Er... if you say so... Come on... this way." He mutters haltingly and leads her to a different part of the Warren. The other Guardians follow, just in case..., uncertainty in their eyes as well, but none of them speak nor do they question her decision for the moment. Jack wakes up later to a new, slight mental pain, but this time it was just a regular pounding headache; after all he'd just melded with Punishment, of course there'd be pain. He looks around, panic sinking in as he looks around, but as he realizes where he must be he calms down as he realizes he's safe. Jamie senses his panic and is the first to enter to the room even though by the time he's there Jack's calmed down. He smiles at the winter spirit.

"Hey." Jack looks at him and smiles.

"Hey." He moves to stand up only to collapse to the floor.

"Why did that happen?" He says stupidly, confused. Jamie moves to help lift him back onto the bed.

"I imagine it's because you expended about as much energy as we did... more or less... just in the meld. Likely more than I did..."

"That, and there's the energy you used before." Kree responds, her tone that of someone who sounds like they just got out of bed. Jack shudders when Kree speaks in his mind.

"Kree can you not talk in my head?" He says, her speaking having given him the willies as he tries to wake up his legs but it's a no go and he collapses with a thump again, climbing onto the bed; he'd tried stubbornly a second time just because Jamie had helped him, but his efforts to stand aren't working.


	4. Recovering

"Take it easy Jack... We're all still recovering. You're not the only one. You should see Bunny... I know it shouldn't be funny... but he looks like he's dressed for Halloween..."

"Oi! I resent that mate!" Bunny says from the doorway and it's evident what Jamie means as the Pooka appears to be all but completely wrapped in bandages. A couple were blood stained, but most were fresh. Jamie tries not to laugh, coughing into one hand to hide a grin. Kree giggles a little, only because she knows Bunny can't hear her before aiming her comment at Jack.

"I don't know how else you expect me to speak, Jack. I mean... unless you will me a physical form. I can't exactly stand in front of you." Jack winces as he tries, but he has absolutely zero strength and so he sighs.

"How long am I to be bedridden?" He asks with something of panicked sadness.

"Just until you get your energy back. I give it a couple days at the least until your body recovers enough to let you move about." Jamie sits down on the bed, he looks tired himself now. Obviously he too was still tired from the whole ordeal even after having some time to rest. Jack brushes some hair from his head, looking at a healing gash that was likely from either Jack or from Shadow, guilt eats at him as he turns from Jamie, swallowing thickly and on the verge of tears, but he pushes them back. Jamie senses his guilt.

"Jack... it's not your fault. It wasn't you. I promise." He loosely wraps his arms about the winter spirit, resting his head on one of Jack's shoulders. Jack embraces Jamie suddenly, burying his head against Jamie's chest.

"But it is, it was.... All of this was my fault." He says, beating himself up over it obviously. Jamie sighs softly.

"No Jack... None of this is your fault. I promise... You've handled this so well... even... she says you have." He didn't want to say too much about Mysterie yet, and for good reason; he wasn't sure that he agreed with her decision yet but yet he wasn't going to argue against it either. He holds Jack close, lightly rubbing his hands up and down his back to comfort the distraught spirit. Jack sniffles before calming down and kissing Jamie on the cheek.

"Thank you." Jamie smiles. Jack then looks around.

"Where's Mysterie?" Jamie's smile fades and he shifts a little uncomfortably.

"She's here at the Warren." He replies, avoiding directly answering the question... even if he gave a direct answer he wasn't exactly sure WHAT part of the Warren that she was currently in. Jack nods.

"I'll go visit her when I'm better then." Jack says, groaning a little as he was so bored already.

 

 

"God, I'm gonna be so damn bored..." Jamie shifts his gaze over towards the door guiltily at the mention of actually visiting Mysterie... he knew where she was... if not her exact location, but he didn't protest, knowing Jack'd ask why and that would lead to him having to give a real answer and he **really** did not want to do that yet... He smiles though at Jack's groaning about being bored.

"Well, maybe I can help with that." He says with a bit of a smile and Jack turns his head to the side to look at him, wondering how Jamie could end boredom.

"Let's start with a simple game and go from there hmmm?" He asks, wanting to distract Jack from his uneasiness and from being bored.

"Ok." Jack nods as he sits up a little straighter.

"What kind of game?" 

"How about I spy? I know the window doesn't show much, but we can use what we see out there too." Jamie nods to the window next to the bed that looks out over a small garden in the Warren that has a few plants and various colored flowers. Jack smiles and nods at that, the truth was that he loved Bunny's flowers though he wouldn't ever say so to the Pooka.

"Do you want to go first or shall I?" After a few hours of playing, Jamie was laying down, curled towards Jack. The game had come to mostly a stalemate and they'd run out of things to spy. Jamie yawns a little.

"So... um, just before you left I took the oath... I wish you'd been there, but ... well.... You weren't exactly feeling well and you both were asleep... Did I ever tell you that Sophie is writing a book about our adventures?" Jack snickers, smiling.

"No, you didn't." He rolls over, ending up on top of Jamie with a mischievous smile.

"Hope she can find room for this in her book." Jack says before planting a kiss on Jamie that he deepens as his hands slid along Jamie's body and migrate to his ass. Jamie's eyes widen a little, not having expected it but he slips his arms back around Jack as he returns the kiss... there was no way he was going to tell his baby sister about THIS... There were some things his sister just didn't need to know after all... Even if she did know that Jamie and Jack were a thing now... He flushes a little as the rubbing arouses him a little. Jack chuckles and licks his ear.

"Does this please you?" He says more than asks, not meaning it to be a real question as a hand slips below the waistband of the jeans, dancing along his thighs teasingly close to his growing erection.

"J-Jack... I am n-not telling her about t-this." He stutters a little, shivering from the pleasure that Jack's touch was causing. He nipped at Jack's neck, skimming his hands along the winter spirit's sides as he trembles.

"Oh don't worry, she won't know... only maybe the end." He says before sinking his teeth into Jamie's neck, Jamie's eyes widen at those words and is about to protest until Jack bites him; he winces slightly though less because it hurts and more because he was surprised. Jack halts his actions when blood seeps out and worry leaps into his eyes at the bite mark.

 

 

"J-Jamie... I-i-i'm sorry..." Jack stutters. Jamie rubs his fingers along it curiously, but it doesn't bleed for very long then he looks up at Jack with a slight smirk; hardly put off.

"Maybe you need some more practice of just how hard to bite..." Jack shudders and kisses him roughly. Jack didn't know what it was, but he knew he just had to have Jamie at that moment; his hand skims along Jamie's cock, twirling and swirling his fingers as he played with it. Jamie shudders, returning the kiss. Thrill jolting through him and he moans into the kiss, whimpering from the pleasure of Jack's teasing as his body responds to the touch. He shivers at the sudden show of desire from Jack and eagerly presses against him. Jack chuckles darkly, his eyes flash with a desire usually is never seen in his eyes.

"Eager aren't we?" He says cooly as he rubs Jamie's length, playing with the tip. Jamie whimpers, pressing into the touch eagerly.

"J-Jack..." He stutters, groaning his name as pleasure spikes through him and he arches a little beneath the touch, his gaze hazy with pleasure and desire. Jamie skims his fingers beneath Jack's hoodie, lightly sliding his fingers along Jack's stomach. Jack makes no movement to quell the burning desire, simply watching Jamie squirm under his touch. Jamie whimpers from the desire. All at once a flash of pain happens, coming from Mysterie, distracting Jack and causing him to fall from the bed; letting go of Jamie.

"J-Jamie?" Jamie jolts from the flash of pain he senses.  He shakes his head, even as he's shaking from the arousal... not sue what it was he'd just felt, but he had sensed it from Mysterie as well.

"I'm... okay... I don't know what that was about though... I mean... she's fine... You okay?" Concern flickers in his eyes. Jamie is right, the pain that had flashed through Mysterie was because of Shadow, but she had shoved it away. Mysterie had been distracted by the feelings of pleasure that were radiating between the two and hadn't thought that Shadow would interfere. Growling inwardly, Mysterie shoves away the pain, keeping it deep down for the moment; irritated that Shadow'd obviously interrupted something between Jack and Jamie. The urge to see Mysterie grew stronger.

"I'm fine." Jack says, but he really seemed like a lost puppy without her.

"C-can we go see Mysterie?" He asks, trying to climb back into the bed since his legs were still slightly useless at the moment. Jamie sighs a little.

"I donno if I can carry you that far... Truth be told... I don't know exactly where she's at in the Warren. Bunny does though." Jack looks at Jamie, his eyes full of the need to see her.

"Take me to Bunny please. Take me to him so he can tell me." Jack says eagerly, painfully feeling the pain Mysterie was fighting against once more. Jamie nods.

"Of course... but... Just so you know... None of us had anything to do with her decision." He leaves the room to deal with his arousal before searching out Bunny.


	5. Problomatic

Several minutes after Jamie had left Bunny appears and picks Jack up from the bed.

"Don't get use to this. It's just until you can walk on your own." He hops through the Warren, carrying Jack through the various parts of the Warren to a part that was set off to one side from the vines where the eggs got their patterns. There looks to be a large tree with a door and he pushes the door open. Inside are various other doors with bars on the small windows and it becomes apparent its some sort of holding cell. Jack looks completely confused, why were they here? Fear seizes Jack that he's being put into a cage until he realizes that, no, that couldn't be it. Why would Mysterie be here?

"You awake?" Bunny calls out when he reaches the door at the far end.

"Yes." 

"Just like you said... though little earlier than I thought. Guess I lost me wager with Tooth." Mysterie chuckles softly from the other side of the door.

"Better go tell her and the others then."

"Right then." Bunny pulls up a chair for Jack, setting him in it before hopping out; leaving him there. Jack looks around in confusion, curiosity eating at him.

"M-mysterie... what are you d-doing in here?" He asked with worry.

"I just thought it best... For the time being... I'm... having problems... as I'm sure you're aware. Considering she decided to interrupt your bonding time with Jamie." She replies with a sigh. Anger courses through Jack at the mention of Shadow, he turns towards the door as he gnaws on the inside of his cheek.

"Mysterie, maybe you should meld with Shadow like I did with Punishment." She sighs a little.

"That's just it though... I did. I couldn't have fooled Punishment if I hadn't..."

"She's so used to the darkness that without me to balance... it still poses a threat." Kree murmurs quietly. Jack stares at that.

"H-how can we stop it?" Worry is evident in his tone for her and fear of Shadow for many reasons, the first being that she might be pissed at Jack and the second being a fear that she might rape him or again try something like she had when he'd been in Pitch's lair. Mysterie was silent, but Kree spoke up.

"Jack... you somehow need to convince her to merge with me... As you did with Jakul... I can't say how you will. She's... I donno what the right term is... not scared... maybe leery? of me. I don't really know how to explain it... it's... it's like I'm a foreign entity to her."

 

 

Jack sighs.

"How do I talk to her at the moment?" Jack wishes that he didn't have to talk to the bitch, but he had to... for Mysterie's sake. Mysterie swallows, uncertainty and nervousness surging through the bond.

"I... I guess I could bring her out..." Jack shudders and sighs.

"Please do, the faster we get her approval the faster my headache can go away." He says, slightly pissed off; anger was weird to see in Jack. Mysterie shudders.

"I... I don't know that she would approve of a-anything... b-but okay..." There is silence for a long moment as she retreated and let Shadow's personality take control.

 **"So... you want to talk do you?"** Jack narrows his eyes at her through the small barred window.

"Yes." Jack hisses between his teeth.

"I need you to meld with Mysterie." He says straight forward, a storm brewing inside him that the world had never seen before; one worse than '68 and the other storms as of late. Shadow sighs.

 **"Already done... more or less... Don't look at me like that. Not like I enjoyed it, although it was more sudden and less painful than your own. Can I help it if she's comfortable with me and not with that brat? At any rate you can put your fears to rest... She's not going to let me do anything and this cell is designed to hold spirits. I couldn't conjure sand to save my own skin."** Jack sighs and turns from her.

"You can go back now." He was no longer angry, but there was venom in the words when he spoke to Shadow nonetheless.

 **"Gee thanks. I'm so glad I have your permission."** Sarcasm drips in her tone, but she retreats all the same.

"I tried to tell you..." Kree murmurs. Jack looked at Mysterie with sadness, his hair shifted to shadow his face and his expression.

"Why won't you accept Kree?" The slight venom that dripped from his tone made her flinch a little.

"Wha? Who is Kree?" Confusion was evident in her tone.

"She doesn't know me... remember? She has forgotten me." Kree murmurs. Jack sighs and explains everything about Kree to Mysterie that Kree had told him.

 

 

"Y-you have to believe in her again." Jack says, a sudden need to harm Mysterie turned his thoughts to Punishment; he'd just melded with him so of course he'd get those urges from him, but he knows that like the ones before such things will even out. Mysterie didn't say anything as she absorbed the information that Jack'd given her. Kree is silent as well; though Mysterie's silence is more of an uncomfortable one as she shivers on the other side of the door. She wasn't sure how to explain it... but she couldn't just believe in her... Mysterie just couldn't take back that part of herself... It... it just wasn't that simple... After a moment she spoke in a quiet tone.

"I thought she was dead." Jack hears her response.  _Why won't you listen?_  He wonders, turning from her in sadness.

"She's not, she is as strong as ever." Jack says, shaking where he stood as he couldn't hold his weight for long and he falls back into the chair.

"I'll see how Jamie's doing." Jack said, tears pricking in his eyes. Mysterie isn't sure what to say to his comment about Kree, nor does she understand why Jack suddenly seems to be so sad.

"Alright. I'll see you later." There is only confusion on her end of the bond now. Kree sighs, but Mysterie doesn't notice. Jamie sits by the dye stream, curious about all that had happened in the cell, but he keeps his curiosity at bay. It wasn't really his business even though he did care for Jack. He wishes he could do something to help this whole thing be sorted out. Jack shudders as he tries to stand, it hurts him more when he tries and his anger grows tenfold, courtesy of Punishment and the new emotions he's added.

"AUGH! WHY DO I HAVE TO BE SO WEAK?!" He yells out in anger at himself, anger at Shadow and just anger at the whole damn world. Mysterie winces a little, as does Jamie. Jamie gets up and heads off to the cell after getting directions from Bunny, he opened the door and moves into the hallway.

"Jack?" Jack shudders but he doesn't speak or even look at Jamie as he just tries to think for a moment before looking up at him with a fake mask of a smile, at least, but he didn't think it would fool Mysterie. Jamie moves over to Jack, concern in his eyes; he murmurs quietly.

"Jack... what's wrong?" Jack sighs.

"I'm fine, nothing's wrong." He smiles, but he knows Jamie won't go for it anymore than Mysterie will. Jamie picks Jack up, he doesn't speak for a long moment. Instead he lets his concern flow through the bond, making it plain that he knows better... That he can sense Jack as clearly as Jack can him now, even as he takes Jack back to where he'd been sitting moments before. He set Jack down in the grass before sitting beside him; a cheery tree blooms above the two, there are several around, making a small private cove of this part of the Warren.


	6. Love and War

Jack knows how Jamie is feeling, it is the same worry that Jack has at the moment now, but he looks at the blooming trees and how they move in the soft breeze. Jamie slips one arm around Jack, holding him close to him. Wishing that he knew what to do to help things; its reflected in the bond, but he says nothing as he tries to simply relax in the calm of the place. Jack slowly relaxes, the Warren was beautiful when one really looked at it. Jamie relaxes after a long while, closing his eyes as he rests his head against Jack's shoulder after a moment; listening to the quiet sound of the dye river as it trickles past in swirling pinkish colors. Jack doesn't break the silence once, he didn't know how to break it or what to say to Jamie; he just knows that he's really relaxed. Jamie sighs, content for the moment as he tries his hardest to think on the calm and not the problem that still lingers in the shadows... North and Bunny were at the workshop with the yetis to repair things. While they were there lots of elves were wandering about the Warren, but none of them ever came anywhere near the small area... It had been enchanted to obviously be private... though for what purpose Jamie didn't know and didn't care to. Jack turns to Jamie, knowing that this was stressful for Jamie as it was for him.

"Jamie, I'm worried. I'm worried... what if she never accepts Kree?" He says in a sad tone, but he tries to lighten the mood by pointing out how the flowers bloomed. Jamie squeezes Jack a little in response, it was stressful indeed, but he had hope and though it was small it flickered across the bond like everything else he feels.

"I know you are. I think we all are actually. I think she will eventually... I don't know how we can convince her though. It's not for her like it was for you... this isn't something that's dangerous or anything if it's let run rampant... I don't know what to tell you or her... or any of the others." Jack nods and curls up a little closer. Jamie lightly threads his fingers through Jack's hair, gently stroking his scalp to try and help soothe him. These months, right up from the beginning of his appearance as a spirit, had been full of pit holes... the peace and quiet of this place was a nice change of pace. Jack sighs in contentment and feels more relaxed as he snuggles closer. Jamie smiles as he continues to lightly massage Jack's scalp, just drinking in the moment of peace. Although his cheeks heat a little as his peaceful mindset takes a slightly different turn all of the sudden... Jack shivers and purrs from the touch causing Jamie to outright flush, the purr not helping him to not think about that moment before the interruption. Jack chuckles a little, thinking about some things...

"What's so funny?" Jamie murmurs. Jack chuckles and mischievously looks at Jamie.

"You're just so cute when you try to hide your feelings." He says, turning and pinning the light spirit down, smirking. Jamie stares up at him, flushing; trying to get his mouth to work but only succeeding in looking much like a fish. Jack chuckles as he dives in, kissing him and rubbing his sides as his tongue explores Jamie's warm mouth. Jamie gives up trying to speak as he returns the kiss, skimming his hands up Jack's sides; a little more than just eager to continue where they'd left off earlier before. Jack groans in pleasure as he slides his hand slowly down until he finds the waist band and dips below it; he chuckles and dances his fingers on Jamie's thighs, not touching yet but skimming along the other's smooth skin. Jamie groans in pleasure at the teasing touch, squirming a little even as the fingers of one hand skim along Jack's stomach. Jack gasps in surprise that Jamie knew about the spot that he liked as he shudders in pleasure as he nips at Jamie's neck before sliding his hand down his length gently. Jamie strokes Jack's stomach, shuddering in pleasure at the feel of nip at his neck and Jack's fingers along his length; groaning from the spike of pleasure. 

"J-jack..." Desire and pleasure surge through him and he nips at Jack's neck, quivering. Jack chuckles as he slowly plays with Jamie's tip and nips at his collar bone.

"Shh, just relax." Jamie whimpers, shuddering with the pleasure that sweeps through him. He slips his hands along Jack's sides, holding the other spirit close as he submits to him; shivering from the the pleasure of his touch. Jack chuckles a little at that. Jamie shudders, unable to stop himself from arching into the touch; squirming restlessly from the pleasure as he whimpers more with the passing moments. Jack hushes him as he slowly pushes an index finger into him.

 

 

"Relax." He says and Jamie nods but it is a little hard for him to completely relax as a shudder goes through him; still he's relaxed enough that there's only pleasure flowing through him when Jack slips his finger in further. Jack slowly searches for that special spot he knows is there in Jamie. He lets out a gasp, arching as Jack hits that spot; shuddering as pleasure jolts through him.

"O-oh Jack..." He groans out, his breath stuttering a little as he scrapes his nails along Jack's stomach; pleasure and need pulsing through him. Jack groans in his own pleasure as he repeatedly slams and caresses that spot; eventually adding a second Jamie to tickle the inner walls and stretch him a bit more. Jamie squirms restlessly, sliding his hands down Jack's thighs; desire flashing in his eyes as he frees Jack's cock only to slide his fingers along the length. Jack gasps and gives him a mischievous grin.

"You sly fox." Jamie chuckles in mischievous triumph, his fingers stroking Jack's length even as he groans from the pleasure of Jack's touch. Jack shudders and adds a third finger, slamming into that spot more even as he gasps and moans at Jamie's touch. Jamie groans, arching beneath the touch even as he slides his fingers down to the tip; teasingly swirling his fingers around it just as Jack had done to him earlier even as he whimpers more, pleasure jolting through him every time he hits that spot. Jack's breath hitches at the touch even as he sees that Jamie is well prepared.

"Oh god..." Jack groans in pleasure, purring. Jamie purrs in pleasure at the sound of Jack's groan as he continues to tease his tip, drawing him close with his other hand; Jamie nips lightly at Jack's neck even as he shudders. Jack gasps shifting with need, he pulls from Jamie's touch and sheathes himself into the light spirit. Jamie gasps, groaning as he holds him close against him; shuddering with pleasure and desire as his body quivers in delight... He has long desired this, to feel Jack inside him like this; his breath hitches a little even as he continues to nip at his neck. Jack chuckles a little, kissing him as well as repeating that he should relax even as he quivers in delight from being inside Jamie. He slowly pulls out and then pushes back in. Jamie returns the kiss, relaxing completely despite that his body is shuddering in pleasured delight. He can't help but stutter, groaning when Jack nails that spot inside him when he pushes back in.

"J-j-jack... oh g-gods..." Jack chuckles into the kiss as he thrusts deeper and faster. Jamie's hold on him tightens as the pleasure increases with each passing moment. His body throbbing with need and he can feel the pleasure slowly building. Jack deepens the kiss as he slams a little deeper, feeling the pleasure that's building within him getting close. Jamie shudders, arching to try and get Jack deeper even as his warm tongue brushes against Jack's warm one as he feels his climax draw closer. Jack slams into that spot in Jamie, rubbing a hand along the other's middle as he wanted Jamie to finish first. Jamie arches, crying out as the climax slams into him, forcing him to release suddenly; he pants heavily, quivering. Jack gasps as he follows with his own release, shuddering in pleasure; riding it out as he collapses on top of Jamie.

"We tell Bunny nothing." He says after a moment.

"We'll tell him the flowers are white 'cause of paint." Jack says, chuckling and after a moment he pulls out and shifts to make them both decent. Jamie chuckles a little at that.

"Actually... I have a better idea..."

 

 

Jamie scoops some of the paint from the river and splashes it everywhere and then, before Jack knows what he's up to, he grabs the winter spirit and dunks them both into the river; grinning when Jack surfaces.

"Now we have an excuse he'll believe...." Jack sputters and glares at him a moment before splashing him. Jamie laughs and splashes Jack back a little, Jack splashes him again and then dunks him just to make sure he is extra soaked before he jumps back to land. Jamie laughs as he sputters, spitting the stuff out of his mouth.

"Hey!" He sends a wave of the dye at Jack with a slap.

"Oi! I ain't putting you buggers in no baskets!" Bunny calls, he's several yards away but his twitching ears makes it plain he'd heard the splashing and had come to investigate; he looks less like a half dressed mummy now, only one bandage on his side from the battle though he has what looks like a faint scar across his left cheek. Tooth hovers behind him, giggling as Jack and Jamie are now multicolored from the river. Jack chuckles.

"What? Maybe we'd be fun to find! Right Jamie?" Jack says, pushing Jamie back into the river when Jamie tries to climb out, laughing. Jamie sputters when he resurfaces again.

"I know YOU would be fun to find..." He winks at Jack and Bunny rolls his eyes, Tooth tries not to laugh harder as she flies off; the only bandage she sported now was one along her left arm. The Guardians were quickly recovering from their fight with Shadow now and were in high spirits. The spring spirit bounds off to go check on his garden, as it's nowhere near Easter he has only it to tend to and make sure the flowers are taken care of; a daily chore that never takes too much time since he never lets anything but the flowers grow. Jamie climbs back out of the river, chuckling.

"See... what did I tell you?" Jack chuckles in response and flies about here and there, feeling so much better than he had in what seemed like ages. He laughs as Bunny yells at him to stop messing with his flowers, Jack is hyper like Tooth on a sugar high! Jamie grins, contentment, joy and happiness radiating over the bond from him; there's even some happy joy radiating from Mysterie as well. Jack flies and laughs, knowing what he wants to do now.

"LOOKS LIKE THE WORLD COULD USE SOME FUN!" He laughs, full of energy and he flies out of the Warren to spread a very late winter snow. Jamie flies off after Jack, if only to watch him work; when Jack gets to the final town; however, the dye having washed off in snow, Jamie gathers some of Jack's snow and pelts him with a snowball. Jack gasps in surprise that someone actually hit him with a snowball and turns to see Jamie; he smirks.

"Looks like you did finally get the last hit." Jack says as he creates multiple snowballs, all aimed at him and Jamie is immediately pelted with them in a never-ending stream.

"Hey! No fair!" Jamie yells, laughing even as he picks up more snow to make more snowballs and tries to dodge the ones that Jack is throwing while trying to hit him again. Jack chuckles.

"All's fair in love and war." 


	7. Storm

Jamie just grins at that, deciding that if Jack isn't going to play fair then he doesn't have to either as he melts some of Jack's snowballs as soon as Jack creates them; lowering the amount that Jack can toss at him by at least half.

"OH NOW THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Jack yells in protest.

"Hey, like you said... All's fair in love and war. Jamie smirks, tossing a snowball that just barely misses Jack even as he ducks be hid a tree to miss being pelted himself. At the end of the "snow war" no one was left without snow on them and Jack collapses into a snowbank, making a snow angel. Jamie chuckles at this and joins him, once Jack is done with his snow angel he finds more snow to roll around in like a dog rolls in dirt.

"HA HA! SO MUCH FUN!" Jamie rolls out of his snow angel to watch, grinning at Jack. Overjoyed himself to see him acting like the winter spirit he'd grown up knowing. Jack chuckles as he brings snow everywhere he goes, zipping off to yet other places to bring more fun and snow; whooping and hollering in happiness as he's given greetings even from adults. He wonders briefly how Mysterie is doing but ends the thought quickly so it doesn't spoil his good mood. Mysterie sends happiness towards Jack over the bond, even if she doesn't know the reason for his happiness she is happy simply because Jack is. Jamie gives Jack a funny look when an adult greets him.

"Adults now too? Geez... You certainly make it hard to catch up to you." Jamie says jokingly, Jack laughs and a breeze opens the window in Santa Claussen. Jack chuckles, in high spirits like nothing could break it. The Guardians greet the two with a smile when they float into the workshop, but inside they know that the trouble isn't yet over, especially with Mysterie and Jack. Jamie smiles, just happy that there seems to be some peace in such a long time. Thinking that Jack deserves to be happy as he watches him. Jack does a few loop-de-loops before finally floating gently down into a chair at the table in the meeting room. He looks at each of the other Guardians with a smile, Jamie chuckles at Jack's antics as he floats to an empty seat near Jack.  _It's so nice here... like nothing in the world could ruin this._ Jack thinks as he glances towards Jamie before settling in even as Jamie glances about the room, not remembering having ever been in this part of the workshop before... but then again he hadn't really had time to just explore. Jack smiles and listens to the Guardians as they start the meeting mostly with reports on various things they have either noticed lately about believers or their own work; Jack drifts off into his own little world, familiar tugging sensations, but his own world nonetheless. Jamie listened absently as the Guardians talk though he's paying more attention to Jack until North mentions Mysterie.

"Iz something we need do. She put off long enough." North went on.

"I agree. Manny did choose her years ago after all. I say we do this and we don't take no for an answer this time." Bunny says, surprising the others. Jack was out of his own musings at the mention of Mysterie.  _What are they talking about?_ He wonders, a tugging sensation in his gut tells him that it's not good and so he retreats back into his own little world so that he doesn't in up in more pain... whatever it is.

"Wait, what?" Jamie asks, wanting to make sure he understood what was being discussed.

"Ve need to convince her be Guardian. You and Jack need speak with her about it." Jamie nods a little.

"Well, donno how well that will go but we can sure talk to her about it." Jack snaps back into focus at the sound of his name.

"Huh?" Jamie shifts his gaze to Jack.

 

 

"Apparently we've been volunteered to convince Mysterie to join us as a Guardian." At that moment joy was sucked out of him at the simple mention of her name.

"I-i..." He looked around, unsure at the moment. He felt trapped, he couldn't do this... not yet and he flies out the window before any of them could say a thing. Once out in the fresh air again he leaves to go to Seattle, it was due for a storm. Jamie sighs when Jack leaves while the others just stare dumbfounded.

"Yeah... figured he'd do that. Why us?" 

"You have best chance... and ve have all failed." The others nodded sadly, it was apparent then that everyone but Jamie and Jack had tried at some point to convince her. Jack feels tears come to his eyes and he angrily wipes them away, determined that no one who believed in him was going to see him cry. No more... he put up mental walls, a cold mask from now on. The area was treated with a slight blizzard, but nothing so harsh as to kill anyone or do anything more than chase people indoors even as a few areas lost power. Jack landed in a park, gentle curiosity flows from Mysterie over the bond as well as concern from Jamie but Jack didn't respond; he completely ignored the bond like he as dead, blocking the influence. He sighs.  _It's for the best to distance myself..._ He thinks, unaware that Mysterie could actually hear his thoughts. 

"Welcome to your new life." Jack says quietly to himself as he sits in a tree. Mysterie sent a questioning feeling towards Jamie who sent the feeling of "later" as he decides to go after Jack to see if he can talk to him about this whole thing. Jack sleeps for what seems like hours in the tree, nightmares coming and going; some strays feeding off his emotions before taking off as he completely ignores them as they had no emotions at all of their own. Mysterie was very confused that she could, from what she could tell, hear Jack's thoughts. After a long moment she decides to test if it was a two way street.  _Jack?!?_ Jack groaned a little, his sleep disturbed, but no emotion or anything came in reply; it was like he was not even there or something. Mysterie gave Jack a mental nudge, worried. Jack didn't nudge back, instead he merely sighs and slices the connection; figuring that no one will find him now.

"Jack!?!" Alarm went through Mysterie as well as Jamie who had just caught up with him. Jack went back to sleep, ignoring the two; he was done with his emotions now and was more of an empty shell, but his emotions were fighting to break through the cold mask he's formed. Jamie sighs when Jack doesn't respond and he picks him up. Taking Jack to his childhood home, Sophie still lived there and he hoped that she could help. Jack didn't move or even try to escape, still as stone in the light spirit's arms though limp like a doll. He didn't speak, just feeling dead inside. Sophie came home nearly an hour later to find Jamie was kneeling next to Jack looking at her like a lost puppy. Jack only breathes, no words coming from him and not a muscle moves. He chokes a moment on a cough, but that's the only sort of reaction he gives, the most sound he's made since Jamie found him. Sophie make some tea in the kitchen as Jamie explains what has happened.

"It sounds to me that his mind has shut down because had can't handle the request. I'm not surprised really. With all he's been through."

 

 

"So... what do I do?" 

"Well... first I suggest dealing with Mysterie. Solve that problem first. Leave Jack with me for now." Jamie nods, but is reluctant to leave.

"Shoo now. You can't help until he wakes and you have to put that girl back together." With a sigh he leaves to talk with Mysterie. Jack's mind wakes up first before his body does and he thinks about what happened.  _Why did I just shut down my emotions like that?_ Jack wonders as he realizes that the bond is gone now, having been shut down somehow. He looks around at the unfamiliar and yet familiar area; after a moment he realizes he's at Jamie's childhood home. Sophie comes in, smiling a little when she realizes Jack is awake.

"Hello Jack." He nearly jumps out of his skin when he sees Sophie and a flash of memory of what had happened the day before yesterday passes through his mind.

"H-hey Sophie." He says, trying again to hide his emotions even as he wanders why he keeps doing that; realizing he can't just simply stop putting up the cold mask.

"Easy now. Jamie told me what happened and I don't blame you. I think they're asking far too much from you. You aren't a magician." She gave Jack a sympathetic smile. Jack sighs, curling up again on the couch as pain stabbed into his mind from Jackson, who was being a jerk to him right then; that was how he feels as he closes his eyes, just listening to silence. Usually he hated silence. Sophie moves over to Jack and gives him a brief hug before she reaches for the tea she'd set on the coffee table.

"If you ask me... you picked a heck of a first love. I think you'e better off with my brother... that first one... this... Mysterie... she's a mess." Sophie took a sip of tea, hoping she knew what she was doing... Jack starts to feel anger pulse through him at the comment.

"She's not a mess, I love her." He turns from Sophie to listen to the silence once more. Just putting up the mental walls once more. Sophie nearly grins... that was exactly what she was expecting from Jack.. and hoping for, but she keeps her expression calm.

"I didn't say you didn't love her. I just said she was a mess... so tied up in her past, not that it isn't a nasty piece of work from what I've come to hear from Jamie recently, but still. I would have thought you'd have preferred my brother over her. At least he seems to have it together and yet still enjoys all the things you do from his childhood. This whole bond business you seem to have with them seems like nothing but trouble on top of it. Honestly... being able to read the emotions of others has to be exhausting business. Not to mention them being aware of yours all the time." She shrugs a little... perhaps this playing devil's advocate thing wouldn't be as hard as she thought...

"Then of course there's the whole business of what the others are expecting you to do... Honestly, can't the lot of them do anything on their own?" Jack twitches as anger courses through him.

"Shut up Sophie! You don't know her, you're just a kid!" He was pissed now. She raises an eyebrow at Jack now, still managing to keep her cool.

"That so? So why don't you enlighten me then?" Jack growls.

"First of all she's smart, funny, fun; she knows how I feel, she's been through what I've been through." Jack's face flushed blue in anger.

"AND YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW HOW I FELT!" He screams, breathing heavily and just sitting on the couch, his emotions finally having broken through the cold mask. Sophie gave him a small smile.

 


	8. Never Been Told

"I wasn't implying I would ever suit you Jack. I honestly would much rather have you as a friend, but I think you've done yourself a great injustice until just now." Sophie sat back in her chair, studying Jack thoughtfully.

"You're under a lot of pressure, most people don't get that. I can only imagine maybe a fraction of it... seeing as I'm not a spirit and I certainly have not been going through what you have," She takes a sip of her tea before setting it down again and leaning forward, her eyes serious.

"but I also think you're being too hard on yourself too." Jack began to breathe in, counting to ten as he did so.

"I'm fine, I'm under no pressure." He says, putting up the emotionless mask once more.

"Oh no? Then what was all that then? Be honest with yourself, if not me, Jack. You've never been one to have a temper with anyone over anything. The one time I saw you mad was when you saved Jamie from some bullies because they were picking on him for believing in you and the others. Otherwise you've never let anything ruin your cheerful manner. If you ask me, you've always been under some sort of pressure... whether it's from yourself or from your fellow Guardians." She picked up her tea again. Jack growled again.  _Why does she have to be so smart?_

"I'm fine. I just need some time to myself and I'll be good as new, okay?" He says, getting ready to leave.

"Maybe Jamie didn't tell you this, but I'm going to school to become a psychologist because I want to help people. Just like you do. Jack... you can run from all the people who care about you, who want to help you, but no matter how far you go... or where... you can't run from yourself." She took a sip of tea, waiting to see if Jack would bolt like he seems ready to do or if he would stay. Not that she could keep him from leaving, but she wanted to help. As much as she did she also knew that unless Jack was willing to accept that help... there wasn't really anything she could do. Jack shudders at the truth and turns from her, not ready to speak; he moves to the other end of the living room, holding his head and massaging away the headache that was starting to rise. He was tempted to run, but Jamie would probably either tell the other Guardians or go after him again. Sophie watches Jack for a moment before setting down the tea she's drinking once more.

"Would you like some tea? What I'm drinking is hot, but it can be served cold as well. It might help you relax at the very least if nothing else." Jack looks over at her with a nod.

"I guess I could have some, do you have any ming or xing tea?" He asks.

"I have both actually, do you have a preference?" She asks with a smile. 

 

 

Back at the Warren, Jamie stepped into the prison with purpose. Sophie was right... the two of them needed to talk and things needed to be set straight.

"Mysterie, you and I need to talk." 

"About what?" 

"About you getting together with Kree and finally taking the oath." Mysterie was silent for so long that Jamie went on.

"Look, I don't know the whole thing about this past of yours. Maybe I don't understand it because mine was so different, but what I do know is that you love Jack as much as I do. So maybe you might do this for him if your not yourself." 

"Things aren't that simple Jamie... I've... done things that makes it... impossible for her to be with me..."

"How? She  **is** a part of you after all." 

"She was... once... before those  **THINGS**... before I killed... She was the innocence that died in me the day I had to grow up... She's the pure child that I wish I could have been..."

"That doesn't explain you not accepting her. Even if she's what used to be, she's still a part of you. Just like all those others... Jakul... Jackson... Punishment... are a part of Jack. Why can't you accept it?"

"I... don't deserve to... I told Jack I wasn't pure..."

"You think he cares? Do you really think it matters to him? He loved  _you_ first, before he ever even considered loving me. I'll be damned if I wasn't jealous of that. You had what I wanted when I was alive... you knew him for less time than I did and yet he began treating you like a best friend... Then he fell in love with you... and I... I didn't get to have as much time with him as I wanted. Maybe I was a little selfish back then for being jealous... but then I figured out I was falling in love with him... You  **know** I tried not to too.... You know my wishes... You even tried to grant a few, but it didn't work out.... none of them did. Ever." 

"I... I suppose I can... for Jack... but Jamie... haven't you noticed what he never talks about?"

"Huh?" She sighs.

"You haven't noticed the scars then have you?"

"Scars?" Mysterie sighs even more and began to tell him what she suspects... Has suspected since their first night together... Her emerald eyes are sad as she meets his shocked brown ones through the small barred window.

 

Jack sipped at his tea, shuddering slight as Sophie seems to be watching everything that he was doing.

"Can you not stare at me?" He says, feeling uncomfortable. She sighs a little.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to stare, I was kind of off in thought... Jamie says I do that to him too." She glances away, going back to her thoughts. Jack sighs, mental pain hitting him suddenly.

"AH FUCK!" He growls as his grip broke the glass cup he was holding.

"I hate it when my head does that." She gives Jack a strange look even as she cleans up the broken cup.

"Does what?" Jack turns his head away from her, hoping that she wasn't as determined for an answer as her brother had been that one time....

"It's nothing, I'm fine." He picks up a few pieces of the glass, pretending to be helping; his wrists seem to have faint scars across them that were mostly hidden by his sleeves. When he is sure she's distracted he slips some of the pieces of glass into his pocket next to some of his other sharp friends. Sophie doesn't question him further but she does notice the scars and she snags Jack's wrist, shoving the sleeve up to get a better look before he could do or say anything. She just sort of stares, not really seeming to react to what she found. Jack pulls his arm from her, looking away as he grabs his staff again and walked over to the other end of the room again, not wanting to be looked at. She lets him go but says quietly.

"You know... it would hurt him if he knew about that ... Jack... you can't hide something like that forever.  ... Does... does she even know?" Jack sighs and finally he couldn't hold it in.

"I never told either. I told no one I've been doing it for nearly 300 years... I never stopped."

"Maybe it's time you did.... I can understand why you might start... After all, how else do you ease the loneliness in your heart when there is no one around... but Jack... you have people who are there for you. Maybe you aren't aware of this.... but if they ever saw you doing this... or even thought you might... It would break their hearts... You can't keep doing this and not expect it not to... to never be caught." Just telling Sophie made Jack have the need to start cutting; he scratched his palm. He thought maybe he might do it quickly after he leaves this house. He sighs. Sophie also sighs, seeing that look... she's seen it before.

"I'm surprised that no one else has noticed... or maybe if they had they just have been too worried about everything else that's gone wrong with you and her lately to have said anything..." She looks tired all of the sudden, like she is much older than the young woman she is. 

"I've seen cases like yours before... not everyone is so lucky. I ... I haven't told Jamie... but the other day... I went to a funeral of a patient who was like you... It was an accident of course. He cut too deep... I know that you can't die that way... but that won't change the hurt you'll inflict on those who know you if they find the evidence. Don't tell me you won't get caught... because sooner or later... you will be." 


	9. Breaking

Jack shook his head to push her words out of his head.

"Just shut up. Leave me alone, you don't know who I am or how I feel." He says as he leaves, he feels one of his fingers knick on a sharp blade when he sticks one hand in his pocket and heads off to his pond. Sophie sighs when he leaves, hoping that maybe something she had said had gotten through to the distraught spirit. Back at the Warren, Jamie stares at Mysterie; there's a look in his eyes that is something of disbelief and beyond hurt... and anger and... She wasn't sure what else ... but it was the same feelings that she felt as well. Her eyes widen as she felt darkness stir in Jamie's heart and she suddenly realizes that she shouldn't have said anything... She should have just...

"Damn it..." Jamie turns from the prison, leaving suddenly as he shoots off to think and she could only cry...

"Jack..." Kree whispers softly, it's the first time she's spoken in a while. Jack growls, pulling out a rusty razor that was caked with blood; he growls knowing that it wouldn't do and pulls out the new glass from the cup. He looks at it then at the pond and he sighs as he sits by the big sycamore tree that covers his pond slightly. He brought it to his arm where a new, fresh scar could be made.

"No, Jack... don't do it." It was Cecil and Jackson, both were pleading but Jack shook his head, pushing them back.

"I'm sorry.." He whispered to them as he makes three slashes, watching the ruby red drops stain the snow he sat in.

"Jack... you should listen to your own counsel once in a while... Don't think you've hid this from them... I'm afraid she has made a terrible mistake just now and told Jamie..." Kree whispers.

"WHAT!?!" Kree had his attention now.

"She's known from the start Jack... She just never said anything because she didn't know how... As for Jamie... who know what he will do. I may not be with her... but I can still hear Shadow... She says he's left the Warren in a right mood..." Jack feels sick to his stomach.  _Jamie knows... no no no!_ He stares at the blood that now stains his snow and his arm as the long, deep gashes still bleed freely. Jack starts to rub it with snow and coats the area in fresh snow so that now no blood can be seen except the stains on his arm. He gasps as he begins to feel woozy from the large blood loss and he sighs, starting to get rid of the blood stains as he wraps his arm with bandages he always carries. He was slightly fearful for Jamie, he doesn't know why he feels that way. He sighs, hiding in a tree until someone finds him; it was no use flying anywhere else.

"Sophie was right you know. She did just want to help... smart too." It's the last thing that Kree says, leaving Jack to decide what to do. Jack spends the next few hours thinking, hoping that Jamie wouldn't find him yet, but knowing that Jamie would likely find him sooner or later. Contrary to what Jack thinks, it isn't Jamie who finds him; the sun has nearly set when Tooth flies over to him. 

"Jack!" She glances around the area and then frowns.

"He's not with you?" Jack doesn't move, doesn't do anything whatsoever; he doesn't even reply to Tooth's question as he is silent and quietly looking at the scarred hand that he had ripped apart the night before. Tooth looks at Jack, concerned.

 

 

"Jack... you haven't seen Jamie... have you? He said he'd be right back after he spoke with Mysterie... but he hasn't returned and Bunny says he's not in the Warren..." She trails off. Jack doesn't move at all, neither does he answer the question.

"H-he's n-not..." Jack says in slight pain as he hisses at the new wooziness of blood loss; he had lost quite a bit of blood... at least a couple of pints.

"No... Mysterie said he left in a hurry... She wouldn't say why... I'm worried. He's never said something and then not followed through before..." Her eyes gleam with concern that only grows when she notices that you're in pain.

"Jack... are you okay?" She flutters close by, not having noticed the blood yet in the darkness or that anything is amiss.

"Tooth I'm fine." Jack says, hissing between his teeth, losing slight consciousness.

"Just go ask S-sophie." Anger is evident in his tone as he hid the glass in his pocket and jumped from the tree; that was a bad idea as he collapses in the snow as a loud crack is heard, having forgotten to soften his fall with the wind; Jack gasps in pain as he realizes he broke his foot on accident. Ignoring the fact that Jack might curse her later... or even now, she picks him up and hurries back to the North Pole; a flash of anger in her eyes that he could outright lie to her when obviously he needs **some** help... and concern that he'd hurt himself trying to prove that he didn't need what he obviously did. Jack struggles in her grip.

"Tooth! Let go!" He hisses, kicking even to try and get out of her grasp but she wasn't having it.

"Just shut it for once Jack." She growls, gripping him tighter and she doesn't let go until she's in the infirmary. The yeti there balks at a her glare as she grabs what she needs and tends to Jack herself. She doesn't say anything as she wraps his hand securely before she wraps up his ankle and foot without a single word and any word from Jack is just met with a glare. After a while he gives up trying to talk and just lets her do what she wants. Once she's done she scowls a little at him.

"Stay put if you're not going to help in the search... Don't need to be worrying about you too." She zips out of the room in a rush. Jack realizes the problems he's causing and sighing he picks up his staff and goes off in search for Jamie without any of the others realizing it. Jack was sure that Jamie would be somewhere cold or that he would be hiding in obvious plan sight. He face palmed as he felt the need to cut growing, but knowing the Guardians they would take his tools if they caught him. Jack was right this time, Jamie stood on the edge of Mount Everest, he'd paced footprints into the snow, he'd even shaken plenty of it off in an avalanche. He had been angry before, now his anger was cooling... but into something worse... a cold anger. Jack shudders, knowing that what he was about to do was a bad idea, but even so he unblocked his side of the bond; mending it back together as he sends a feeling of "sorry" over the bond as he heads to Mount Everest where he senses Jamie. The bond is silent; however, as Mysterie is currently asleep and Jamie is too steamed to really notice at the moment, or care too much. He's too absorbed in his thoughts to even notice the bond has returned. Jack sighs, flying around the mountain; when he finally sees Jamie he gently lands a few feet away. He doesn't say anything at all as he knows he's in trouble, but he doesn't care as he gasps in pain as his broken foot starts to throb so he takes to floating. Jamie glances over his shoulder at Jack, scowling, but instead of saying anything he turns back to his pacing; his eyes slightly darker than normal... Jack sighs and floats a little closer.

 

 

"J-jamie I..." Jack didn't know what to say. What does one say to one of the people, that is both best friend and love, that you have been cutting and that lots of other things have been going on? Jamie stops and gives Jack a look of cool anger now; his voice almost as cold as the air around them.

"I don't know why you bothered coming here." Jack winces.

"W-we're w-worried about you." He meets Jamie's gaze.

"So am I." Jack whispers under his breath as he sits on a rock in front of Jamie; unsure what to do now that he's found him.

"You know, I guess I could understand that from others... but I'm not sure I buy that from you. I'm not sure what to believe anymore. You do whatever you want... you always have. I've got better things to do." He takes off to track down one of the other Guardians without saying anything else.

"It's not true... I do care." The wind carries Jack's message towards Jamie, swirling around him for an hour as tears come to Jack's eyes. The South wind, seeming to be just as mad at Jack; however, slaps the message away the North wind tries to deliver.  _What have I done?_ He looks at his scarred arm, anger pooling as he tears off the wraps and tosses them into the wind. He grabs a sharp rock nearby and digs into the scabbed wounds, digging at them until he was crying hard. The snow around him becoming a blizzard that traveled around the world and reached around the globe until there almost wasn't a place without snow; people were trapped in their homes. Jack tosses a rock and it manages to hit a goat on the way down. Jamie meets up with Tooth, who was talking with Sandy.

"Oh! Jamie! There you are!"

"Sorry about disappearing on you Tooth, I just needed some time to think. Mysterie will know where to find me if you need me. I think I'm going to where the weather is warmer. It's gotten too cold here for my tastes." Tooth stares at him in unabashed shock as the light spirit takes off; she never thought she would ever hear  **that** from Jamie and only after a minutes had passed and he'd gone did she begin to come to the conclusion that something had happened between him and Jack and that things had not gone well...

"Oh dear me..." Jack huddles close, writing a scar on his back in tiny letters with the help of the wind that says "Broken." He ignores what others might say as he goes to a nearby town where it was always hot; hoping that the heat might kill him, or at least weaken him to the point of no return. He settles in the open area, ignoring the pain of non-believers who walk through him.  _He hates me now... he hates me now... It's all my fault... He is right. I am selfish... I make a mess of everything..._ The thoughts circled Jack's mind as the heat began to sink into him, it hurt but it wasn't anywhere near as painful as the stab of his own thoughts and their aim at his heart... 


	10. On Edge

Jamie stood on a private beach, there was no one around; he wasn't simply angry, he was fed up... Hadn't he been patient? Tolerant? He'd been everything for Jack that he could possibly be... he'd waited years for Jack... and in the end what did he have to show for it? A broken heart.... his so called best friend and lover didn't trust him... What sort of relationship was  _that_?! Through his anger, tears spilled down his cheeks; to find out all this time Jack had... He felt betrayed and worse... 

Jack was only alone for a few minutes before a familiar hand lay on his shoulder, Mysterie softly murmurs his name.

"Jack." Jack doesn't move, he feels broken inside.  _I hurt Jamie... and I can't even trust them... What can I do... I love him and Mysterie..._ His eyes settled on his shredded arm, he stabbed at it again with the rock; self hate for what he's done evident. She wraps her arms around him, her fingers lightly gripping his, halting the rock from doing more damage even as the fingers of her other hand lightly slide over his arm and silver sand slides along the wound as she holds him close. She was silent otherwise as the wound is stitched up by the the sand. Jack looks up, pain and self hate in his eyes; his wishes to just die at that moment swirl about her in sand that was too dark to be silver, but not dark enough to be black. He pulls his arm from her, knowing in his heart that he deserves this and he jabs at the healed wound, reopening it; hoping that it would get infected and he would die even though he knew it wouldn't kill him. He just sat limp then, feeling awful. Mysterie murmurs softly as the sand redoes the work that he has undone; warming against his skin soothingly even as she presses a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"This won't help. It is easy to hate... to blame... it is hard to forgive... I know that better than anyone." Tears flow down his face, not freezing due to the warm weather.

"Jamie was right, all I care about is myself. I didn't even care for his feelings for me. I should be dead... I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD IN THAT FROZEN LAKE!" He shouts at the end and hugs her as if he was her lost child.

"What do I do? I'm sorry... I'm sorry Jamie... Mysterie... Oh god..." Jack couldn't stop the tears that poured down his face, his mask broken. She holds her close, murmuring softly.

"It will be okay Jack. You're not selfish, I know you're not; we wouldn't be here if you were." She gently threads her fingers through his hair soothingly.

"B-but Jamie s-said I was... and I AM! I DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF HIS FEELINGS!" He shouts, crying hard; Jamie, for the moment, could feel every single emotion that flashed through Jack; most of all that Jack was sorry, the feeling of sorrow and the pain of loneliness. Mysterie gently brushes away a few of his tears, murmuring softly.

"It might seem that way because it is hard to think of others when we are blinded by our own. Jamie doesn't understand this yet... give him time." She says in a soothing tone; she knew Jamie was ticked. Mysterie had been able to feel how much right up until a few moments ago because now Jamie had all but severed his end of the bond... or something like it.

 

 

On the beach, Jamie sits at the water's edge, staring at it as the water laps at his toes. He feels numb inside now, he wasn't even sure how he'd managed to block the bond... but it seems he has.  _Maybe it's better this way..._ Jack sighs and just goes limp in Mysterie's arms as his other arm is bleeding as well; Jack is dead inside once more, without Jamie he feels himself weaken and it was like with Punishment all over again. Mysterie's sand takes care of Jack's other arm as she lightly strokes his arms; holding him close, wincing a little. She knows this emotion a little too well, the one she is sensing from Jack, and she knows that only time can heal. All Jack can think about was what a bastard he was in his own mind and wishes to die were never ending towards Mysterie as he is basically still a child at heart; his wishes are the same as any other child's. Mysterie sighs softly.

"Oh Jack... you were never meant to feel this..." She holds him closer in her arms, resting her head on his shoulder. Eventually Jack was too exhausted and feel asleep in her arms, still wishing for it to end. Gold sand swirls around Jack's head gently, electing only good dreams as she holds him close; she picks him up and heads off to the ice cavern. She settles him into the bed and slips in beside him, murmuring quietly.

"I don't know much about you or how you still exist... but maybe it's time I rediscovered what I thought was lost..." Kree seems to glow with happiness as she leaves Jack and returns to Mysterie who closes her eyes; not at all sure what she's doing really as the purity that is Kree melds into her and her light shines inside her once again. A few hours later Jack's dreams turn into nightmares. Nightmares of Jamie and the Guardians kicking him out of the workshop and harming him.

"Wait guys! I'm sorry!" At the moment vines were holding him, choking him as they wrapped tightly around his neck, arms and legs as Bunny stood before him, paws crossed.

"Sorry don't cut it mate. You're a worthless team member. Can't even trust us, you don't deserve to live on this earth." The next thing Jack knows is that he's facing Jamie who was cutting into him with Jack's knife, his eyes shining happily that Jack was dying and Jack couldn't suppress the shudder.

"J-jamie... I'm sorry." 

"I know you're not." He hisses.

"You don't know how much I love you Jack, which is why it's best you die." He replied, anger flashing in his eyes. As the figures of the others advance on Jack suddenly they disappear as Mysterie interrupts the nightmare; sending it scattering. Leaving just Mysterie as she moves over to Jack in the dream. She cuts the vines with gentleness, but she doesn't say anything as she works to free Jack and soothe the cuts and the pain. Jack gasps in pain as he remembers the knife in his gut as he looks at the healing cuts and realizes that Jamie had been cutting him with his own rusty blades; he collapses to his knees, shaking. With care, Mysterie withdraws the knife and tosses it aside; mending the wound as she kneels before him.

 

 

"Everyone has fears of what may be Jack... of what we believe we deserve because of what we have done, but that doesn't mean that it will ever come to pass." She gently cups his cheek with one hand.

"You know them better than anyone... Maybe that is why your fears for them are so strong... because you yearn for something you think you deserve, but that they would never do." Jack looks at her with tears in his eyes and he shakes his head, hugging her close.

"But I do d-deserve t-this... I deserve every bit of the pain in my nightmares as I do in life... I deserve to be in pain." He says, keeping his arms around her least she disappear.

"M-mysterie." He shudders, afraid to say what he was about to tell her; that she might leave him afterwards... he wouldn't have any reason to care then.

"I've been c-cutting for nearly 300 years..." He says in a shaky tone.

"and I might have a relapse of almost actually killing myself..." He says, tears growing at the corners of his eyes.

"P-promise me you'll stop me, please... when I wake up... promise me you'll take the sharp toys from me. They're in my pocket." He says, tears flowing freely now; he knows he needs a lot of help for this, he just couldn't stop. Jack had found out that, given enough time and not having anything to stanch blood flow, an immortal could die of blood loss; though it took special circumstances, it was something that Jack had discovered within his first hundred years. Mysterie gently shushes him.

"You have done nothing to deserve what your nightmares have shown. Everyone makes mistakes love. I promise I will keep you safe." She gives him a soft smile.

"I'm your Guardian, I always have been, always will be and no matter what I will always be with you. Even if you can't see me... even if you run. I will always be with you." She holds him in a gentle, loving embrace; glowing softly, a pure golden light that ensures that he will have no more nightmares. When Jack awoke later he found that Mysterie wasn't in the room, but she has kept her word. She has taken all of the sharp things from Jack's pocket; though he can tell she's not far as Jack can hear her murmuring to Percy in the next room. Jack sighs and silently thanks MiM for her being there with him; he went to the bathroom to look in the mirror, his hair is sideways and he fixes it before deciding to make some breakfast. When he enters the room Mysterie turns from watching the otter eat.

"Hungry?" She asks and he notices that there is a small plate of waffles waiting to be eaten along with hash browns and scrambled eggs in a pan. Jack nods, smiling gratefully as he sits at the table, slightly uncomfortable. Mysterie fixes him a plate and sets it before him before settling down to a warm cup of tea that she had made herself earlier. Jack looks at the waffles before him.  _Why can't I be happy for once?_


	11. Tests

Jack sighs and eats his breakfast.

"Mmm, so good." He smiles at her and she smiles back a little, one that only reflects that she's happy that he likes them and nothing more. She's silent for the longest moment, mostly staring into her tea before she finally figures out something to say.

"I was never very good at this sort of thing... I barely remember getting myself out of my own problems when I was alive... I still don't know how I managed it. No matter how much I think about it." She took a sip of her tea; Jack looks up from the food, unsure of what to say back so he just looks back down again. Chewing on the eggs for the longest time, Jack reflects on what he should do now.

"I suppose I should confess that I've known... I mean, at least I saw the signs of it." She sighs a little.

"I never did anything like that myself so I can't claim to understand or relate, maybe I should have said something sooner... but so many things have happened so fast one after another. I guess I assumed he knew too... I'm sorry for that..." Jack sighs.

"It's not your fault, it's completely mine. I should have told him. I should have told you guys." 

"Perhaps you should have, but I won't presume what you should or shouldn't have done. I don't think he would have taken it any better hearing it from you as it is... This sort of thing... it tends to leave scars if you tell someone who isn't ready to hear something like that... I... guess I assumed Jamie was when I told him. I mean... considering all he's been through... but I suppose I underestimated what such information would do to him. I am to blame, if only partly, for a lapse in judgement. There's a lot of the darker side of things Jamie hasn't seen or experienced... granted, I hope a lot of it he never does... but I think he will come to deal with it in his own way... as we all have. It's just a question of how and when." Jack sighs and it was hard for him at the moment as it feels like his bond to Jamie was on fire and he gasps.

"Is it hot in here to you?" He says as he tugs on his collar. Mysterie's eyes unfocus a moment and the heat stops abruptly; she scowls at the table as if the thing had offended her though it vanishes after a moment as she bites her lip in thought. Jack looks at her with worry.

"Are you okay?" She blinks, torn from her thoughts.

"I'm fine... the bond has... changed from what it was... I don't know how. I think Jamie is testing its boundaries on me... or trying to. I don't think he's very good with control..." Jack sighs.

 

 

"Why would he do that?" He asks as he feels hotter than a sauna suddenly, he goes to the freezer and sticks his head inside.

"So much better..." 

"I don't know... I don't know him like you do. Although from what I can tell he's vaguely irked with me and the other Guardians... I get the impression he's talked with them, if only briefly."

"Oh." He sighs and worry comes through the bond.

"I don't think you should be concerned he has... I've a pretty good idea North would be yelling at me over the comm if he'd talked to any of them about what he's learned recently." 

"Yeah." Jack replies, groaning in pain as his head started pounding new blood into him.

"How much blood did I lose yesterday?" He asks, his voice strained from pain as his body was remaking the blood he had lost.

"I don't know. I wasn't the one who found you the first time and Kree didn't tell me if she even knew herself. I'd imagine a good chunk considering you ended up slitting both arms from what Kree told me." Jack gasps, knowing that if he were mortal he would have been dead.

"I guess I really wanted to die then." 

"Yeah, you did. I'm just grateful you aren't mortal and that Kree had the insight to search me out after you found Jamie." Jack was in pain as he felt the bond turn into harsh fire on his spirit.

"Why is he testing his boundaries? Why is he so mad at you?!" Jack groans from the pain.

"Likely because I didn't say anything sooner." Mysterie winces at the pain, which likely wasn't as bad for her as she decided to do something about it and sent a backlash back at Jamie. Although neither one of them heard it, the impression of a "yelp" came over the bond and it died down instantly, like a candle flame being suddenly snuffed out.

 

 

Jack sighs, massaging his head.

"Why would he be mad at you so much though? I mean, it's not your fault. I should have told him. I should be the one taking pain for you right now." Mysterie sighs a little at that, how could Jack think he was selfish and then turn around and say something so completely selfless?

"I wish I knew the answer to that. I imagine this isn't quite something he knows how to deal with... and I suspect he's lashing out at everyone at the moment. I could probably pinpoint his location if I concentrated... but for the moment he seems to be volleying back and forth between sending out assaults my way and blocking the ability to pinpoint where he's at. As it is... I'd rather you not. I'm more prepared to deal with his lashing out than you are if simply because I'm the same type he is." Jack sighs.

"Okay." He feels really weakened and tired, he sighs as he tries to find the rest of his hidden sharp "toys" that were around the home; he walks back into the room and places them on the table. Some are rusty, some sharp, a piece of never melting ice was there and even a pair of rusty old car keys. He looks at her.

"There's more, but I can't remember where they are at... it's best I don't remember." Mysterie raises an eyebrow when she saw the keys, but the items on the table simply disappear in a swirl of sand; whisked off elsewhere.

"Best not. I imagine that the others might know, but I trust they will likely say nothing on it until either they're sure it's safe or can speak only so I'll hear." Jack nods.

"I know I'm gonna get a kick in the ass by the rabbit for sure." 

"Actually... I think Bunny might be the only one among them who might be the most understanding." She says thoughtfully.

"What?" Jack was confused, that didn't sound anything like the Bunny he knew. She smiles a little at his confusion.

"Well, he might be tough on the outside... but he's also the one who knows how it feels to be alone too. He is the last of his kind. He wasn't always the Pooka you know, guess I can thank Sophie for that one... I got into her books... and I kind of think she has a crush on him... Although I could be reading too much into what I've read."


	12. Lapse

Jack smirks knowingly.

"Yeah, I could tell." He sighs.

"Ouch! What the hell JAMIE!" He yells over the bond.

"I GET YOU'RE MAD! STOP IT!" Jack groans as his headache becomes worse than before. Mysterie fumes a little.

"Okay... that does it... I'll be back in a moment." She disappears in a flash of light; the moment that Jamie and begun fiddling with the bond again he'd left himself wide open. After several minutes there was alarm in the bond from Jamie followed by the thing going silent again. Jack sighs, worrying for Jamie and worrying for Mysterie. He scratches at his scarred palms as the need to cut was growing and he groans.

"God I need it... I need to cut." Jack swore that Mysterie could hear his thoughts, but he stays dry... not quenching the need as he just sits at the table, laying his head on it. His legs shake, it's the only distraction from cutting; had he wanted to he could have made a sharp piece of ice, but he doesn't. He struggles with the dry feeling of no cuts, he had promised himself that he wouldn't do it anymore and it was getting hard for him; he was going to break any second.

Mysterie crosses her arms, staring down Jamie who glares at her as he stands on the beach, his eyes flashing.

"So you finally got smart on me huh?"

"Yeah, I did. Although I wasn't going to just tell Jack that. I've had enough of your childishness. This HAS to stop before you do something you regret."

"Something I regret? Do you even realize what-" He cuts himself off, his anger keeping him from speaking and she sighs.

"Yes, I do. I know what he's been through, I know a GREAT deal Jamie. I understand that you haven't actually been through the best in life, but you have no idea what it really means to deal with the dark side of life. Jack and I have seen some of the darkest parts... you only saw a single part. Now I expect you to stop or you'll find out why Jack has such a problem with Shadow... do I make myself CLEAR?" Jamie nods, taking a step back from her as her eyes flash red briefly.

"Good. I don't care how you deal with this, but you leave the bond alone." She vanishes in a flash of light to return to Jack at the ice cavern; it takes her a few minutes to get to the back but she's calmed down again by the time she returns; a swirl of sand heralding her arrival. Jack was literally ripping at his hair and trying to find something to get his urge to end when she came back.

"Oh God this sucks." Jack said as he started to chew on his nails, pulling off pieces he bit off on accident and just really squirming in his seat a bit.

 

 

Mysterie sighs a little when she notices the symptoms of withdrawal... She moves over to Jack and wraps her arms around him gently. Jack freezes up a little at the contact, not recognizing it was her; he shudders a little, scratching at his palms deeply. He needed anything to cut his skin and manages to scratch the hell out of his arms.

"Jack... calm down... I won't hurt you." She murmurs quietly, soothingly. She lightly runs her hands along his arms, repairing any damage that he's done even as she speaks. Jack shivers, shaking; unable to do anything as the need was hurting, the withdrawal was very painful for him.

"I-i n-need t-to c-cut..." He says, shaking and trying to scratch at his arms again. She threads her fingers through his to keep him from scratching again and rests her head on his shoulder as she holds him against her.

"Easy now... I know this is hard." She lightly strokes his palms with her thumbs.

"When does it stop?" Jack groans, shuddering and shaking; he clenches at her hands slightly, the need growing worse. She continues to gently stroke his palms in a soothing manner as she murmurs.

"With time Jack... only you can decide when it stops. You've been doing it so long that you feel comfortable with it, just as I was with the darkness... Not doing it, for you... is like what Kree was for me. It is foreign to you and of course your mind is rejecting your sudden change. Like a drug, like living with darkness... it's something that cannot simply be overcome in a day." Jack groans again, he couldn't take it and made an ice knife that slices two red streaks across his palm. With a soft sigh she slides her fingers along the cuts, mending them; the ice knife melting. Jack shakes, twitching like he was tweaked or something. He shudders, shaking; not able to do anything, the need slightly satisfied but not as satisfying as he really wanted the cuts to go. She lightly nuzzles against him, gently pressing a kiss to his cheek; exhaustion starts to sweep over him from his inward battle, but he didn't want to go down though he is on the edge of sleeping. He forces himself to stay awake. Mysterie merely holds him close, not speaking though she is aware of his exhaustion; if anything she radiates calmness as she stands behind him, the change in the bond making her thoughts more clear to him though all she's thinking about at the moment is him. Jack teeters on the edge and eventually goes limp in her hold, breathing heavy but sleeping. She gathers him into her arms and carries him back to the bed. She settles next to him, gently brushing back his hair from his face; gently siding her fingers along one of his cheeks, her power of dreams ensuring that his are good no matter what they may be about. When he awakens again he stretches and pops a few things into place only to notice the northern lights out the window. He knew he and to go. Mysterie was outside when the lights dance across the sky and she looks up, with a sigh she decides that she will go as well... wondering what it is they want... Jamie looks up at the lights, frowning. What the heck did they want? Well... he was obligated to go... but that didn't mean he had to show himself to any of them. Leary that Jack might be around, Jamie flew to the workshop, but he used the moon roof, that Manny used to communicate to the Guardians with, to get in and he held himself up in the rafters and out of sight of any of the Guardians there. Jack sighs, flying to the North Pole, pain and anger at himself coursing through him, but he put on a cold mask of indifference again; knowing what they were going to say already as he floats inside and walks in; sitting as far from the other Guardians as he could after seeing Jamie was occupying his favorite rafter. Something he was not expecting as he stood in the rafters above. He clenches his hands a little, the need to cut was very high. Jamie doesn't notice that Jack has seen him, instead concentrating on those below; ducking behind a column when Mysterie arrives and looks up.

"Jack... Please come down." Tooth and the others glance up as well and Jamie makes himself as small as he can; inwardly cursing his luck that she had decided to come along. Jack shudders a little before sitting down, literally slamming his head on the table and pushing his hood up, not looking at or talking to anyone. Mysterie moves over to stand next him and looks at the others calmly, but it's obvious to them that she is acting as his Guardian and as such her gaze tells them that they had better watch their step.

 

 

"Now then... exactly what is this all about?" Jack doesn't say anything, ignoring them; he was shaking, pretty much afraid to say a thing. Mysterie settles a hand on his shoulder, sending soothing and calming thoughts over the bond. Jack sits up a little straighter, his eyes full of broken emotion and he shudders, scratching at his palms to make them bleed again as he suddenly speaks.

"I-I had a cuttting relapse." He says, shaking; pain in his tone.

"And I never told J-jamie or you guys b-because it was something I have been doing for a long t-time and I-i'm use to it and am not c-cutting anymore." He says, gasping as he couldn't believe he had just said everything as he shudders and scratches at his bloody palm. North just stares at the news, not sure what to make of it; Tooth isn't much better. Sandy gives Jack a look of sympathy, but it's Bunny who speaks first, his voice gentle.

"Cricky mate... again?" The others stare at the Pooka in shock as his green eyes soften a little.

"What set ye off this time?"

"Vait... you know 'bout this Bunny?" North asks and Bunny glances over at him with a slight frown.

"How 'kin I not? Sharp nose mate... put two and two together when frostbite came back once smellin' 'o blood but not a visible scratch on 'im an' we know he doesn't feel cold... so why else a long sleeve hoodie?"

"Smart." It's all Mysterie says and Bunny nods, his gaze shifting to her and then back to Jack. Jack groans, banging his head against the table a couple of times; happy with the slight pain and his bloody wrists.

"I-it was nothing." He says, pain evident. Jamie stared down at the group, frowning at Jack... So he'd told the others... great. So what? He didn't really want to see Jack again if he could help it... Though he'd taken the oath which meant he had to be here and that meant seeing Jack... but at least he doesn't have to show himself... He jolts back when Mysterie's gaze flickers upward and suddenly he realizes that she KNEW he was there, but she wasn't saying anything. He scowls down at her... He really didn't want to tangle with her unless he knew he could win... but for the moment he knew he couldn't overpower her and so he avoids antagonizing her for the time being. It was a double edge sword, seeing Jack again really... He feels torn in two. One part of him wants to go over and just embrace Jack as he used to... to tell him it'd be okay but the other part of him never wants to see the winter spirit ever again... Torn between indecision and the conflicting emotions he was blocking from the two below, he just listens to see if he'd be told what was going on or if there was little other reason that the others had sent out the call. Jack sighs and ignores the others, especially Jamie as he feels anger from the other's end and sends worry from his end.                                                                                                                          


	13. Puppet Master

Jamie's scowl just deepens when he senses Jack pushing at the bond, he wasn't sure just how he did this, but his will was strong enough and something seems to slip between the bond the three of them share; cutting himself off from the two of them. Mysterie staggers suddenly in shock, her eyes widening... she remembers this feeling... when the Puppet Master had been here... Except that it was more evident than before and she felt as if something was missing... and it sent a shudder through her.  _Jamie.... what have you done? ... What have you begun?_ Jack suddenly clutches his middle at the severed connection; he was in such pain, such killing pain that he collapsed out of his chair as if he had been struck.

"Jack!" The other Guardians jump up from their seats as they yell in one voice even as Mysterie wraps her arms around him as she quivers in pain. Jamie scowls and leaves the workshop; having the feeling that he wasn't about to find out what this whole thing was about. It was killing Jack, it was like what he remembered Punishment doing only ten times worse.

"I-i can't breathe..." Mysterie holds him close, murmuring quietly.

"Take it slow Jack... focus..." She didn't notice that she was glowing, but the others did and they hold their arms over their eyes as her power seems to shine like a small sun. She quakes with anger aimed at one being... Jamie nearly slams into a tree when her anger slams into him along with the single thought.  _You bastard... you broke your promise!_  Jack gasps, pain evident as he manages to speak again.

"I think... I'm drowning again." Mysterie shares his pain, it ripples in her alongside the emptiness she feels and it was a feeling she was hoping she'd never have to feel again... Making her feel as if she was back under the influence of the Puppet Master... She shivers, fighting against the depression that surges from the past... She couldn't let it take her... Jack needed her... She held him tighter even as tears threaten to fall from her eyes. The Guardians scramble out of the room as her light just gets brighter, bathing the entire room as she blindly strikes out from the pain from the both of them. Jack gasps, sucking air in blessedly and just staring off into space for a moment. It would be several tense moments before her light would begin fading, she panted a little from the pain that was still rippling through her.

"Mysterie." He gasps, holding her; trying to comfort her from the pain. She closes her eyes, trembling. Jack keeps her close and whispers sweet assurances.

"It's okay, I'm here... you're not alone..." She holds him tight, still trembling though she is beginning to calm down.

"It's okay." He says softly, most of the pain was gone from him, but he wanted her pain gone before his. She sighs a little, relaxing into his embrace though the pain doesn't fully disappear because the bond that they share wouldn't let it be. The pain that pulses in her now was just the echo of Jack's; he shudders.

"W-why w-would he just cut it off like that when he knew it w-would cause us both pain?" He says, tears slipping down his face as it was very painful still. She shudders, gently wiping away Jack's tears... Casting her mind back; trying to thing of something... anything of that time with the Puppet Master that might be useful... Closing her eyes to help envision the time, she speaks what comes to mind...

 

 

_"Why? I'm surprised you care enough at the moment to question me." The Puppet Master narrows his eyes at her, she shifts her gaze away._

_"I shouldn't tell you too much, least it alter things too much, but I suppose a vague answer won't hurt... I am who I am because of him. He betrayed my trust... I gave him everything... at one time... and in return... Well, I think you can guess what he left me with."_ She shakes her head, trying to think of something else that he might have said that would be helpful but she comes up empty. Jack slowly stands up.

"I'm going to find him." He's say, pain shuddering through him as he calls the wind to pick him up quickly. Mysterie stands up, seconds behind him though she sways from the dizziness that seems to suddenly over come her.

"Jack wait!" She shudders as she realizes something... She had sense something in Jamie that was very familiar before he had blocked them both... It was the same darkness she remembers sensing when she had been influence by the Puppet Master... Jack was gone before she could comment more, he gasps in pain as the bond was throbbing and Jack wonders what he is doing as he had thought that Jamie had cut it. Punishment chuckles.

"That's obviously Dark's work." Jack's eyes widen.  _No! Not him... no!_ Jack flies quickly where he has the feeling that Jamie would likely be, his body shaking with adrenaline. Jamie stood at the edge of Jack's pond, staring at the frozen water, his powers had darkened within the last few days. Even with the bond cut he still had that sixth sense that had always told him, when he'd been human, when Jack was around... He knew that Jack was close, but this time it didn't hurt. Jack shudders, landing and slipping on his own pond; he was just that nervous and his body was in so much pain that he doesn't move for several minutes. Jamie turns to him, the dark of night hiding his expression; the hood of his blue hoodie was pulled up over his head.

"What do you want?" Jack doesn't speak, but looks at him, slight worry evident in the bond; it was all he sent him.

"J-jamie... I'm so sorry... I really am. I'm sorry, I should have listened to you! I trust you Jamie, but please... don't do anything you might regret." Jack says, pain evident in his tone along with anger. Jamie studies Jack a moment, as if turning the words over in his mind, then he turns away.

"You shouldn't have come here Jack... Go away." Jack doesn't move a muscle.

"I can't do that." He says, breathing heavily and feeling that he was about to lose consciousness any minute.

"I came, Jamie. I care about you and like you told me... I won't let you go." Jamie flinches slightly.

"I never should have said that..." He growls.

"I should have known better... Everyone always was saying that I should just leave the past where it belonged... That I should find someone worthy of me... Gods I was so naive... Now I see it though... I finally see things clearly... and I have you to thank for that." Jamie shot into the sky, a violet comet against the darkness of the night.

 

 

Jack shot into the sky after him, he wasn't going to give up so easily.

"I'm not giving up Jamie and you shouldn't either, especially on love." Jack says, sadness in his tone as he suddenly shoots past him and grabs Jamie, yanking him to the ground; not letting go as they slam into the ground hard, Jack took the brunt of the hit though on purpose. Jamie rolls away from him, cursing.

"I don't want you around God damn it! I have no want to hurt you or anyone else, but if you persist in following me I won't hold back in using my powers against you." Jack sighs.

"SO FUCKING DO IT THEN! I CAN TAKE IT! ANYTHING YOU DISH OUT I CAN TAKE AND I WON'T GIVE UP! EVER!" Jack screams, anger coursing through  him at the comment of hate towards him.

"Go ahead, it's not like your life can fucking get any worse." He roars as anger rolls from him towards Jamie.

"I am done with you, but I won't give up on you! I'm not leaving until you fucking understand HOW MUCH I CARE!" Jack slams ice into him while he was unprepared and boy did it hurt. At the same time, Mysterie could sense Punishment's personality about to break through and take control of Jack for his sake at that moment. Jamie cries out as the ice slams him against a tree; freezing him against it. He melts the ice, the conflict in his heart flashes in his eyes for a moment. The pain of the conflict hurt worse than the ice and he close his eyes, crying out again as the pain feels like he's being ripped in two... and the ice melts almost instantly as his power flares.

"DAMN YOU!" He cries out, reaching deep within, trying to find stability and in his attempt to do so sets off his power, which flashes out in a burst. Anyone within twenty feet, including Mysterie who was rushing to try and intercept Jamie, was thrown into a scene of their past... Fifteen years back to be exact. Jack gasps as pain ripples through him as well.

"NO!" He realizes suddenly that this was what the Puppet Master, the future Jamie, was trying to warn him about.

"MYSTERIE!" Not realizing what he's even done, Jamie takes the chance to take off. Mysterie blinks, realizing the force of Jamie's power as it slams into her. She looks around... Fifteen years ago, she hadn't met Jack yet... She was still human and living in the sunflower state... Shoving the thoughts aside... She knew she had to find Jack, unaware what Jack would be facing fifteen years ago...

"Jack? Jack?!?" Jack gasps in fear and pain, trapped in his past; another child passes through him and he groans in sadness as he holds himself to know that he was still there. He looks at his wrists and pulls from his pocket a rusty old car key and sit in the snow drift, dragging it across as tears come, but he ignores the tears as he was slowly getting use to the pain.

"Jack?!" Mysterie does the best to struggle against Jamie's power, but it's difficult... very... Even knowing where and when Jamie had thrust her into. It wasn't as bad for her as it was for Jack... She manages to break most of the hold... enough to re-emerge from it back to reality to see Jack in the snow. Desperation gives her enough power to break his hold on her and she rushes over to Jack; his pain echoing in the back of her mind and she wraps her arms around him, reaching into her core to send her power through him to break Jamie's hold over Jack's mind.

"Jack... I'm here... please listen..."


	14. Strings

Jack screams in the darkness, his voice raw as he screams for anyone... someone... but no one comes.

"HEEELP!" Jack screams, it's all he can do as he runs through black liquid that reaches out to him.

"No no... NOT HIM, NO!" Jack can hear his chuckle as he screams as he is drowning and the voices of children's cries; some of them saying 'There's no such thing as Frost... it's just the wind.' causing Jack to gasp in shock and pain as he finds himself stuck in a room. Many children walking here and there go straight through him and he screams. It was one of his old nightmares that he was experiencing. Tears stream down Mysterie's face as she lights up the area... her power pushing against Jamie's.

"Please... Jack... I promised... I WON'T BREAK THAT PROMISE!" She cries out, pouring more and more power against Jamie's. Jack was stuck in the memories that go through him, pain he had inflicted on himself that day was horrible and he screams, wanting it to end.

"STOP! MAKE IT STOP! I'M SORRY JAMIE! I'M SORRY!!!!" It was all Jack could scream as he experiences his past. Mysterie couldn't stop the tears, she didn't know what Jack saw... but the pain was excruciating and the backlash she sent out this time melted all the ice and snow around them for at least several hundred yards, scorching the ground and trees nearest as she struggles to break the power's hold over Jack. Eventually the pain was too much and Jack fell into a painful unconsciousness; his body becoming limp in her arms, the only thing that she could still see that was indicating that he was still alive was the rise and fall of his chest. His eyes were wide open in fear and pain, memories flashing in his eyes as he didn't move at all, just staring and breathing. Mysterie could only weep as she clutches him. The pain of failure shearing through her and it would be a night no one would forget in Burgess... The winter night of the wild fire that no one would ever fully figure out how it started or why... Jack was stiff as a board, gasping as his final memory of fifteen years before ended. Jack had been trapped for three days in the memories, he looks around his darkened room at the pole now.

"M-mysterie!" He gasps, looking for her over the bond. She was sitting in a corner of the room, it was dark because it was the middle of the night. The Guardians had found the two of them and brought them back to the pole so that they could recover. Mysterie had flatly refused to leave his room and was currently hugging her knees; the black robes she had worn during her time with the Puppet Master is draped over her, the hood shadowing her face. She stirs only a little in a deep sleep, courtesy of Sandy. Jack turns to see her sleeping in the corner and sends concern over the bond to her.

"Mysterie?" He gasps in pain where he had slashed his stomach on purpose in the past, surprised how many times he had tried to kill himself back then. Jack could feel the not-quite severed bond from Jamie, pain throbbing through and he wondered why Jamie was trying to connect with him again. He felt darkness trying to reach out to him; he tries to cut the bond to Jamie but it only strengthens its hold as the darkness in him strengthens its hold over his mind and heart. Jack slowly closes his eyes, falling into the Puppet Master's grasp. The mindscape ripples from Jamie's power as he stands before Jack, the place shimmering into a snowy hill; his power keeping the others from interfering. He chuckles darkly.

"You know... I always wondered how it was Pitch got a hold of you... Now I understand. You're just too easy Jack..." Jack shudders.

"What do you want?" He looks around, fear going through him.

 

 

Jamie's lips twitch a little. 

"Who said I wanted anything? I'm just having a little fun..." Jack growls.

"Well let me out. I don't want your fun." He says, anger evident as he glares. Jamie chuckles a bit darkly.

"Let you out? Exactly how does one be "let out" of their own mind hmmm?" Jamie clicks his tongue a little.

"Such anger... and I haven't even done anything yet. Well... aside from at the pond... but I warned you didn't I?" Jack growls but his anger slowly turns to guilt.

"J-jaime... I really just didn't want this to end badly... I.." The darkness was slowly getting to him. Jamie taps a finger on his chin as if thinking.

"Hmmm, well that would be up to you now wouldn't it? It's your head after all... although you're not really a stranger to darkness... are you Jack?" Jamie's eyes darken, his once happy smile tainted with dark intent. Jack freezes for a moment, knowing full well what Jamie meant and shudders before looking him straight in the eyes.

"I won't give up on you Jamie." He realizes it was his head, he could get out... but what would happen afterwards?

"And exactly what is it you intend to do Jack? Hunt me down until you find me? Then what? It won't change anything... You can't change the past. I certainly have no intentions of being your little "toy" anymore. Go find someone else... I'm through with you pulling the strings. I'm the puppet master now an-" He pauses and a dark smile crosses his features.

"Say... that's not a bad name... I think I like that. After all... I can make anyone believe whatever I want... and belief  **is** such a strong thing..." Jack shakes his head.

"Jamie, I know that's not what you want... You can't do this." 

"Just when do  _you_ know what I want?" Jamie snaps, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Since when do you care so much? Oh it's easy to say the words Jack, but that's all they've ever been isn't it? Words you don't even know the real meaning to... Now I understand, a little too well, why Shadow was always after you... She wanted to play with you just like you've been playing with the rest of the world... Never trusting... never showing anything but what you think they want to see..." Jack doesn't move.

"Well then, what do you want Jamie? I'm listening and I always will." Jack looks at him, waiting to see if Jamie would tell him... if anything of the Jamie he knew was still there.


	15. Darkened Light

Jamie's anger fades and he circles around Jack and stares at him though he's really off in thought.

"You know... I'll have to get back to you on that one... For now I'm just testing out my boundaries... seeing what I can really do... Hmmm... I wonder... How many people do you think I can get to lose belief in you? In the other Guardians? What do you think ... Jack?" His lips twitch in a sadistic smile. Jack growls.

"You leave them out of it." Anger in his tone. This was not the same Jamie he knew, the one that was his first believer, his best friend and lover.  _I really wish I would wake up now...._  Jamie raises an eyebrow at Jack

"You know... once upon a time I thought you might have really meant that." He pauses in circling around the winter spirit and turns to look at a tree, its branches flowering with beautiful white flowers that would eventually become fruit.

"Strange... is it not? All it took was the revelation of a single lie for me to truly understand how dark of a place this world really is... I wonder... What about your little light... she's seen the true nature of the world and the darkness in it... Maybe I can convince her to stand with me... After all... she's not a Guardian... is she?" The dark smile was evident in his tone. Jack's hands clenched into fists.

"Leave her alone. I'm warning you." Jack growls as the darkness in him starts to feed off his anger and emotions. Jamie turns around.

"Or what? I could easily make her believe she doesn't even know you.... Just what do you suppose you could do Jack?" He chuckles.

"Oh.... I could easily hide myself too... No one would ever see me unless I wanted them to... They would only believe what I want them to... Oh the things I could _DO_... Pitch has nothing on me..." That took the cake, Jack roars in rage and tackles Jamie; punching him square in the jaw.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HER OR SO HELP ME JAMIE I WILL MAKE YOU WISH YOU NEVER MET ME OR BELIEVED AGAIN!" Jack roars in Jamie's face as his eyes blackened from the power of Jackson; he breathes heavily, he can't believe he had just punched him. Jack had punched Jamie... his believer.... He got off him, he couldn't believe it. Jamie wipes his hand over his mouth, blood coming away and he laughs a little as he looks at Jack; the darkness in Jamie fueled by his bravado because the darkness inside him didn't let him remember that Jack had once just as fiercely protected him against Shadow as Jack was now protecting Mysterie from Jamie.

"Oh, you ARE fun..." Jamie glances over his shoulder as the sun's rays begin to dance across what had been a darkened snow tundra.

"It seems that I have run out of time for dreams... After all... We can't have the Guardians worrying over little old you can we?" Jamie stands up.

"I'll be back, you can bet on that... We'll have some more fun later..." He laughs, withdrawing from Jack's mind.

 

 

Jack's eyes snap open and he gasps for air like he had been under water for a long period of time, fear eating at him as he looks around for Mysterie.

"Mysterie!" Jack yells over the bond. She winces from her spot in the corner, murmuring in a quiet tone that is tinged with some sadness.

"You don't need to yell."

"Sorry." He looks at her with worry, but it changes to relief; he didn't know how to explain to her everything that Jamie had said inside his head.

"I don't know what to do Myst. I can't hurt him... I can't... and I did!" He says, hugging his legs for comfort. She sighs a little, pushing aside her own thoughts she slowly climbs to her feet; wincing at the inward pain, but shoving it aside to be dealt with later as she moves over to him, settling next to him on the bed.

"I don't think any of us do Jack... someone with his power is dangerous and yet... How does one fight against someone like that? I already know I'm helpless against that kind of power." Jack hugs her close to him.

"A-are you okay?" He asks, noticing her wince and shuddering a little as he remembers how he had lost all control. She sighs.

"I suppose... but what good am I if I can't fight against him?" She closes her eyes as she rubs them with the fingers of one hand.

"How did he become so powerful so quick-  Aw damn..." She groans, realizing the answer to her own question. Flashes of what future Puppet Master Jamie had said came to his mind and he felt pain inwardly.

"It's going to be okay. I won't let him hurt you or anyone." He sighs inwardly, fighting himself on this. She curls up against him, whimpering softly; remembering too well just how powerless she had truly been.... Jack rubs her back in circles.

"It's okay." Worry evident in him as he feels Jamie testing the bond again; he quickly fights him off, but Jamie latches on, trying to get into his head and make Jack pissed. Jack wonders why; as he couldn't really do much with the bond Jamie gives up though he leaves behind his laughter as she wraps her arms around Jack. She had heard it and it made her shudder. Jack hugs her, whispering.

"Hey, hey. He can't hurt you when I'm around, don't forget that okay?" Jack says, rubbing soothing circles along her back. She shivers.

"That's not what worries me... Jack... I was his puppet to lure you out the first time..." She says quietly. Jack realizes that it might be what Jamie was planning or might plan for the future.

"It's not going to happen. I won't let it." He says, his spirit and mind determined to not let it happen. She sighs a little.

"I just... don't want a repeat of last time... That was bad enough just once!" Jack keeps her close, sending soothing thoughts over the bond.

"I know and it's not gonna happen ever again." Mysterie curls against him, holding him close as she shivers with fears that she's been keeping at bay; she couldn't go through that again... she just couldn't.... 

 

 

Eventually the two of them fall asleep in each other's arms, when Jack wakes the next morning he found himself in pain as he kept taking the bunt of his nightmares for her; he hadn't been kidding when he had told Jamie that he would protect her. As Jack began to full come awake he starts to realize that something isn't right because Jamie is standing at the end of the bed; dressed as Jack remembers seeing his futuristic counterpart and the two were alone in the room.

"Always did like this place." Jack gasps, looking around for Mysterie, worry for her evident.

"W-what are you doing here?" He smirks.

"Why don't you guess?" Jack looks at him and growls.

"Get out." He began searching for her, very worried; cautiously he starts to get out of bed, knowing he was still vulnerable without his staff. Jamie just chuckles, watching Jack; his powers allowing Jack's fears to take over, whatever it was that Jack feared most... his power was making it a reality. Though he hadn't really thought that the setting for Jack's fear would be here of all places. Jack shudders and looks towards the door, it was only a second away but he needed to get past Jamie to get out. Jamie gestures with a hand for Jack to go ahead. Clearly not here to stop him from leaving the bedroom, his lips twitching a little; he could scarcely wait to see what his mind has come up with... Jack cautiously looks at him then opens the door, walking into pitch black Darkness. The door had the only light and it closes behind Jamie, Jack shakes his head as he remembers feeling this fear.

"It's not real... he's only making me believe it. It's not real, Mysterie's safe." Jamie looked around, but there really wasn't anything to see.

"Really? The dark? Give me a break..." Jamie said, his power fluctuating to light up the room around them; finding it ridiculous that Jack would just be afraid of the dark. Jack growls.

"None of your business what I'm afraid of." Slowly it begins to grow cold and Jack can feel the cold.

"W-what..." He can hear the familiar voice of his sister.

"No..." Jack turns to Jamie.

"Stop." Jack was slowly breaking, piece by piece.

"Oh but Jack... this isn't my doing... This is your mind after all... I'm just a visitor this time..." Jamie chuckles.


	16. Nussiance

Jack shudders at the familiar sensation of people walking through him wracked his body.

"Get out of my head! What do you want?!"

"I'm just curious... since you never told me anything. I figured this is the best way to get my answers... and have it be the truth." Jamie leans against the nearest wall, just watching with a small smile. Jack growls, shuddering and trying to get his mind to stop showing his fears, but it feels more like they were being shifted through like papers. The next thing Jack knows is that he's in Pitch's lair, the familiar words from the shade hitting him like a train.

"They'll never accept you, not really..."

"You make a mess wherever you go... Why, you're doing it right now..." Jack gasps and shudders, unable to forget the Boogeyman's cutting words over ten years ago. It was made worse when it turned into the more recent time where he had hit Jamie.

"What have I done..." Jack shook with fear, it was hurting him; he wanted to get out but feels like he's trapped. Jamie raises an eyebrow at that.

"Seriously? You're afraid of the fact you just hit me?" Jamie rolls his eyes at that one, it made about as much sense as dressing up a pig like a human. The thought of it was breaking Jack down.

"I HIT YOU! HOW DO YOU THINK IT MAKES ME FEEL WHEN I HURT A LONG TIME FRIEND THAT I LOVE!" He yells in anger at Jamie and darkness takes hold of him, making him feel like he was weighed down like he was sinking in goop. He was and he shudders.

"Get out of my head, please.... stop looking for my fears." Jack says pleadingly. Jamie walks over to him and kneels, taking his chin in his hand delicately.

"Hmmm... how about no? Although perhaps there's something more interesting than fears... I'm not all that interested in them anyway... although..." Jamie smiles slightly, his eyes gleaming with delighted mischief suddenly.

"Maybe seeing what you desire will prove more entertaining..." The fears clear away from the "room." Jack starts to shake slightly and he starts to scoot back.

"No... stay away..." Jamie goes back to the wall with a smirk.

"Don't tell me you fear your own desires Jack..." 

 

 

"I..." Jack couldn't say a thing as his face slightly heats up, but he doesn't want him to find them; especially the memory he had of the futuristic Puppet Master.

"Just don't." Jamie waits patiently, knowing that eventually they would surface... Although there might be a short delay as Jack obviously was less reluctant to face his own fears... Jamie shifts to pour a little more power into pulling them out; obviously this was going to be entertaining. Jack shudders, fighting to wake up in his head; Jamie could hear his every thought.  _I'd like to wake up now... Come on Jack, wake up now!_ Jack squirmed, trying to see what it would take to wake him up. The more that Jack fought, the more Jamie pours his power into Jack; he chuckles at Jack's resistance.

"Oh this must really be something good Jack... you didn't fight nearly this hard over your fears." Jack gasps and struggles harshly at the new fear that was resurfacing. The very fear that he would kill Mysterie, the fear that he would kill everyone, the very fear of the Puppet Master courses through him.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Jack screeches. Jamie shifts a little from leaning against the wall, his influence burying the fears. He didn't want them... although they were mildly interesting, he pours a little more power to bringing forth what he wants to see; ignoring Jack's screams. Jack groans and shudders as the desire for Jamie burns bright suddenly, that feeling, that very familiar feeling Jack blocks the power from reaching it and buried the feeling deep down. Jamie raises an eyebrow, but a slight smile tugs at him and he moves towards you; eyes gleaming.

"Well well... that was more entertaining... but I think I can do a little better..." Jack shudders and lashes out, he'd had enough; ice slams into Jamie, breaking the mind wall.

"GET OUT!" Jack growls. Jamie brushes off the ice, but it's enough to hurt and he smirks a little.

"Next time I will see you in the real world... maybe I'll have a little pet with me too... Unless of course you have a better idea..." Jamie leaves, laughing. Jack clutches Mysterie tight in his sleep, shaking his head a little. Mysterie shivers as Jamie shifts his focus to her now.

"You'll make such a sweet pet... Would you like to come with me?" She shudders, whimpering in her sleep. Sensing him there, Jack sends fire towards Jamie over the bond to break him from her.

"Stay away from her." Jack growls as he tries to slam Jamie out of her mind with his love and passion for her. Jamie tsks, absorbing the fire... after all.. it WAS his element... he was a light spirit. Fire was nothing to him no matter what form it came in though he felt something else from it; the love and passion was evident and it causes him to flinch even as he looks at Mysterie.

"So ... it's true then... You really are his weakness then. For now I'll let you be, but you WILL come when called... understand?" Mysterie just whimpers in response and he seems satisfied with that, disappearing from her mind.

 

 

"Mysterie, it's okay. You don't have to listen to him, I promise nothing is going to happen." He sends his love and reassurances over the bond as he begins to wake up. She just curls up, quivering. Jack hugs her and whispers happy thoughts, sending love and plans of what they'll do when this is all over, maybe even get a puppy if it was possible. She slowly begins to calm down. He smiles at her.

"Sleep, love, you need it." He says reassuringly, right now he's pissed and aiming to find Jamie to kick his ass; no sympathy radiating towards him either.

"Don't need sleep." She mutters as she snuggles against Jack. He smiles.

"Then I guess I can snuggle for a while." He says as he wraps his arms around her and buries his face in her hair. Happiness radiates from her as she snuggles closer. Jack snickers and rubs in a more sensitive spot in the middle of her back as he breathes in her scent; happiness radiating from him as well. She shivers a little, a smile touching her lips.

"Are you up to mischief again..." she murmurs a bit teasingly.

"Maybe..." Jack chuckles as he stretches.

"You up for breakfast? What are you hungry for?" She uncurls over the top of Jack, stretching.

"Depends on what my choices are..." She meets his eyes, mild mischief gleaming in her eyes.

"Hmm... pancakes, bacon, sausage, surprisingly I got meats of course... North sent them to me since I like to cook... also we got belgian waffles and regular cereal." He smiles mischievously. She pretends to think it over, then grins.

"Nah..." Instead she presses her lips to Jack's. Jack groans in the kiss slightly, feeling the pleasure in it as he battles of dominance a moment but lost. She chuckles into the kiss a little, sliding her tongue along his before exploring the coolness of his mouth; sighing in happy pleasure. Jack smiles as his hands wander to the curve of her ass and he squeezes slightly.

"You're just so cute." He says between the kiss. She shivers a little.

"You're cute yourself in your own way." Mysterie murmurs back before returning the kiss. Jack was enjoying this, not even realizing that Jamie was sensing his pleasure or that he'd left himself wide open for Jamie to shift through his desires.

"Oh god..." Jack murmurs, kissing her a little deeper, the touch of Jamie's influence over whelming.


	17. Travel

Unaware of Jamie's influence, Mysterie sinks into the kiss; Jamie smirks, watching as he adds only a little trickle of his power to nudge Jack's desires to take over. Jack groans, feeling slightly tempted; he smirks and pulls the two of them back to the bed. She falls onto the bed with Jack, chuckling even as she holds him close. Jack smirks, temptation taking over and he slowly undresses Mysterie as he nips at her neck, biting a little harder than normal. she shivers, surprised but delighted as well. She trembles as she nips at Jack's neck in return and slips her hands along Jack's sides and stomach, shivering from sudden desire, unaware Jamie's exerting his influence over the both of them. Jack moans and slightly tickles the flesh near her pelvis with his fingers, he nips at her skin, biting a little harder and sucking on it... leaving a hickey or two. She moans, shivering as she presses closer to him. Jamie adds a tiny bit more influence, careful not to make it obvious or add too much... He was enjoying this. The room in Jack's pants was too tight and he shifts to undress quickly before going back to nip at her neck, licking her skin slowly down her stomach and down one thigh before shifting to slide his tongue along her inner thigh. She gasps out in pleasure, arching beneath him.

"Jack..." She groans, shuddering; he took a tentative lick along her slit before sliding his tongue a little deeper. She shudders.

"Oh gods... Jack...." She presses closer, shifting to spread her legs as she quivers in pleasure, Jack explores a little deeper with his tongue, encouraged by her words. She presses even closer, whimpering as she runs her fingers through his hair encouragingly as he licks the inner walls; lapping up everything greedily, pleasure surging through him tenfold.

"Oh Jack..." She groans out, sliding her nails along his scalp, causing him to shudder and pull out before he stretches out; two of his fingers replacing his tongue as he searches for that special spot, nipping and suckling on one breast, groaning in his throat. The need was strange as he has never been like this when the two of them had come together, something was off, but Jack quickly bats it away; though he probably should not have. Mysterie arches as Jack hits that spot in her, crying out in pleasure; too overcome by the sensations to realize that anything is amiss. She clings to him, whimpering as he slams his fingers into that spot. He doesn't give her any time to settle before he replaces his fingers with his throbbing cock, pushing into her and slamming into that spot as he growls with desire, groaning as the walls clamp onto his length. She arches beneath him to get him deeper even as alarm zips through her it doesn't last more than a millisecond before pleasure takes over her mind and she groans, sliding her nails down his back as she shudders from the pleasure. Jack thrusts a little faster, all he knows is that he needed her, needed this; he angles to only hit that spot in her as he nips at her neck, slightly breaking the skin. The only sound he makes at the moment is a muffled "mmm." She shudders, not noticing the pain that normally she would have as a result of him breaking the skin; she digs her nails into his back as she arches to drive him deeper. Only knowing that she wanted him... needed him and the pleasure that she could only feel with him. Jack thrust in deep, fast and hard, driving her into his stomach as he feels like his body is on fire. He was oh so close... so close... He drove into that spot in her like a jack hammer causing her to shudder as the pleasure spikes; all she knew was it and the need for more as she felt her whole being throb with desire; the climax rapidly building and drawing closer and closer with every thrust. She cries out his name as it slams into her with a sudden fierce force. Jack screams out as it was quite painful for him. It really hurt as he released inside her, he collapses on her, not moving at all; he was sweaty and exhausted. She nuzzles against him, quivering a little still. Jack pulls out gently, knowing that it could have been painful as he was really deep in her; he wasn't far off... it was painful... but she didn't mind one bit really. She keeps him close to her, sighing in satisfaction and contentment, which rolls across the bond like waves lapping at a beach. Ever so slowly Jack fell asleep in her arms.

 

 

Mysterie wraps a blanket around the two of them, content for the moment. Jamie was rather pleased with himself that his influence had been such a success... He would have to try this again and see if he could exert more control over Jack... but first... he needed to know more about Jack and his thoughts... For now, he was done today. He decided to rest and conserve his energy. He would visit Jack again, soon, in his mind... but not too soon. Jack sighs in contentment when he awoke again and smiles, chuckling at how cutely Mysterie sleeps before he disentangles himself from her arms and heads to the bathroom for a shower. Mysterie stretches, radiating lazy contention. He looks at himself in the mirror before opening the cabinet for a pain killer, popping the pill in his mouth and drinking a glass of water. He brushes his teeth as well before fully stripping and jumping into the shower. Despite knowing how cold that Jack preferred the water, she decides to join him in the shower for once as much to get clean as to get a chance to kiss him. Jack smirks after the kiss.

"You're a little more affectionate this morning." He says, chuckling as he reaches for the shampoo and scrubs his hair. Mysterie chuckles, using the shampoo once Jack is done with it. 

"Don't get a chance often. Got to take what I can get." She replies jokingly. Jack laughs.

"Yeah, that's true." He smirks as he got to scrubbing and massaging her back. She returns the favor. Once he was done he finished showering and was toweling himself off when she came out, no towel wrapped around his waist as he smirks at her.

"Like what you see?" She finishes her shower a couple of moments after Jack had and turns off the water. She snags a towel for her hair and smiles at his question.

"Always." She smirks a little as she rubs her hair dry with the towel.

"I could ask the same thing." Jack chuckles.

"I always like what I see on you." He smirks as he starts to put on the extra hoodie and pants he has, as North had given him an extra last Christmas. He put the dirty clothes away to be washed later.

"So, what do you want to do today?" She chuckles as she finishes drying off before spinning some clothes from silver sand, deciding on a simple silver tunic and a navy skirt.

"Hmmm, well, I'm not sure. I hadn't thought too much on it to be honest."

"Yeah, me either." He smiles a little.

"Wanna go on a tour through Paris?" He asks, smiling at the idea.

 

 

"Sure. I've heard they call it the city of love... I've never really taken a tour of the city to find out. Sounds like fun." Jack smiles as he grabs her hand enthusiastically and flies straight to France. She smiles when he grabs her hand, enjoying the flight and she looks at the view around her as they land on the Eiffel Tower.

"I come here often, if you wanted to know." He said as he waves at a few of the girls down below who wave back, causing Mysterie to smile.

"Why here of all places?" She asks, genuinely curious. Jack sighs.

"It's sort of a home away from home." He replies, not really telling.

"I see." She gives him a brief side hug, not prying further; she had the patience to wait until Jack told her because he wanted to rather than because she forced him to.

"Hmmm, I wonder if Quasar is home." He took the two of them by the familiar two story house, brown in color with red roofing; four or five windows along the top, one of which was always open.

"Looks like he's home." Jack smiles as he floats gently, the said boy was coloring in a book.

"JACK!" He spoke in a french accent, Jack spoke a few words with him.

"Salut là comment êtes-vous." The boy smiled brightly and then when he saw Mysterie he walks over to her.

"Bonjour madam muselle." She smiles, she hadn't met this Quasar before and she only knew a few french words; she wasn't fluent in it.

"Hi, nice to meet you too." She looks at Jack.

"I take it you two have known each other a while?" 

"Wi." Jack and Quasar said at the same time.

"He speaks fluent English as well, but he just likes to speak in french most of the time so I learned to speak it." The two of them speak a moment in french. Mysterie was lost as far as the conversation went.

"Wi, thank you, that be awesome." The boy said and Jack smiles.

"We're in luck, Quasar's grandma's in town and she made baguettes for him and his family. He'll try and sneak a few slices to us if we stay a little bit." She smiles.

"I've never had real french food. I'd be honored." 


	18. Memories

Jack smiles as his friend said "one moment" in french as Jack sits on the window sill, looking out at the night sky, many stars out. His mind was actually a mess at the moment, but he pushes the mess away only to keep her happy.

"So what do you think of Paris so far?" She settles next to Jack.

"It's nice, but then again I can't say I mind any place with you." She put one hand on his. Jack smiles, neither knowing that Jamie was watching Jack's every move again. Quasar comes back with two whole loafs.

"Jack." He smirks when he sees his friend. Mysterie also smiled at the young boy.

"Thanks Quasar." The boy smiles and began eating his own slice as Jack smiles.

"I have to go Quasar. I'll see you soon okay?" 

"Wi." The boy smiles as he bids them both goodbye.

"Was nice meeting you." Jack leads her to a small spot in Paris that he'd made his own; Mysterie follows him, he lead her deep into the town with a smile, when he reaches a building he knocked gently against a wall and the wood creaks open to reveal a secret door.

"After you madam." Mysterie smiles.

"Why thank you sir." She steps into the building, curiosity as to where they were going trickles along the bond. Jack slowly claps his hands and bright blue fluorescent candles burn, lighting the way down the hall of an apparently really big home. Her eyes widen slightly as she looks around; amazement tinging the bond now as she slowly walks through the home. It is vast and lavish room has the normal french furniture as well as a beautiful chandelier kitchen and piano and music room.

"I hope you like it." She smiles a little when she turns back to him.

"It's lovely Jack, though I think the things you made yourself surpass anything here. I can see though were you got your inspiration." She indicates the place around them, thinking of the ice home he had built. Jack smiles.

"I made it around the 20's, around the start of my experienced years of being alive." Jack looks around, blowing off dust from the books he'd collected. Mysterie looks around, curiosity peaking.

"You... built this...?" She didn't ask why as she studies the books, there was an obvious answer to that. She read the various tittles, having a love of books herself. 

"Yes." He sighs, pulled into a memory, shuddering as tears fall with clinks to the floor. She turns to him, her curiosity turning to concern.

 

 

"Jack..." She drew him close; she didn't ask why he is sad, but there is a sense of gratitude at just being brought here to see this place in the bond. Knowing that it was a part of him. Jack shudders as he feels something exploring through his memories. Jamie notices the shudder and withdraws as he doesn't want Jack to realize that he's hanging about in the shadows... so to speak. He falls limply into her arms for a moment then gasps.

"Sorry, it's nothing really, just got really tired." Jack says, flicking away a few tears and putting up the mask of happiness. 

"So, wanna explore the music room?" He smiles.

"Come on." The music room was huge, instruments of all types were there, including base drums and tubas. 

"I collected a little, some are made of ice." He grabs a flute and, sitting on the floor, he plays a song that he used to play for the children around the world when they were scared. It was a quick and happy tune. Mysterie smiles when she hears it.

"I know that tune..." She looks at the instruments before she spies a clarinet and picks it up; surprised at how natural it comes, despite that it had been many years since she had played, she plays along with him. Jack laughs in pure happiness, it had been a while since he'd felt such pure happiness and he starts a flute-clarinet battle; of course he lost the competition as he only knew a few tunes. The music covers the concern she'd felt earlier when he had seemed so tired... There had to be a reason behind that... She feared what the reason may be, but as she played with him she buried her concern so it wouldn't leak through the bond. She couldn't help but smile, she thought the flute was a much harder instrument to learn than the clarinet. She plays a few tunes that she learned when she was very young, all of them fairly cheerful. Jack ends their duet with a long, beautiful note.

"Ahh... that was a good and refreshing duet." He says smiling, unaware that Jamie noted every single thing he'd just done and had noticed Mysterie's worries as well. Jamie smirks a little, watching the pair of them closely... Like the changelings, but he had a lot more advantage because he could feel their emotions... their thoughts... Mysterie smiles at Jack once the duet is done.

"That was fun! Man... I haven't played a clarinet since I was eight..."

"Really? Wow." Jack remembered for a second why he didn't come here and it hit him hard, the memory he jumped in caused pain to squeeze his heart. She nodded and set the instrument back where it had been, wincing a little when she felt his pain. She gently squeezed one of his hands, realizing there must be a reason he hadn't brought her here before. He looked up as the memory disappeared just as quickly as it had come.

"Oh, sorry. Did I space out?" He hugged her close, afraid... just afraid, worry was spiking through him. She smiles a little.

"It's okay Jack. I'm glad you brought me here, really." He smiles, yawning all of the sudden as he feels very tired.

"I'm tired. Explore if you like. I'm gonna go sleep for a bit." He says even as he yawns again before making his way to a small area made up of blankets. She watches him go, frowning a little in concern; why was he tired all of the sudden? That didn't make any sense, but there wasn't too much she could do about it. She sent some sand to swirl around him to protect his dreams while she explores the house on her own.

 

 

Jack smiles in his sleep. In his dream the two of them were sitting on the beach watching dolphins. Jamie chuckles as he watches the two of them.

"Now isn't that sweet?" He murmurs, jealousy flaring up as he watches the dream. He knows he won't catch Mysterie's attention so long as he doesn't make the dream a nightmare or didn't attract too much attention from Jack. Jack laughs in the dream as he makes it snow on the beach and the two of them throw snowballs at each other for a while before it ends in a draw.

"I love you Mysterie." He murmurs and kisses her. Jamie watches, practically glowing purple with jealousy; but he knew his covertness was necessary... for what he planned he needed to know as much about Jack as possible before he went snooping through Mysterie's mind... which wouldn't be easy, her mind was likely loaded with "traps" he wouldn't see coming. The dream he watches slowly turns into a dream with all three of them having a snowball fight. Jack sighs, but his smile is still there. Jamie frowns when he saw this... Why the heck was HE in Jack's dream? The scene was familiar to both Jack and Jamie and after a moment he recognized the memory, he shook his head. This was ridiculous. He summoned his power to block the bond for Mysterie so she wouldn't notice him as he moved over to Jack. He wasn't sure if he was revolted or not that Jack's mind had conjured the memory.

"Interesting dream this one... That wasn't so long ago... was it Jack?" Jamie asks as he came up behind the winter spirit. Jack lets out a gasp, shuddering as the dream shuts down, losing color and the figures freeze.

"What are you doing here?" 

"Watching you... I must say... I'm surprised you would mix a memory of me with a dream of her." Jamie peers over at his dream version.

"So naive... I was kind of pathetic. Didn't even know what all I could do... although I guess I have Mysterie to thank for that... I'm not the only one, apparently, who has been talking to Sophie." He smirks a little. Jack shudders a moment.

"Get out." He says, his breathing becoming heavy as fear began to take hold. Jamie raises an eyebrow and circles around him, a thoughtful expression.

"You're easy to frighten... you didn't use to be..." Jack shakes, full of fear; he was afraid. Afraid of what Jamie would do, afraid that he would set it off... afraid that Jack would do what the futuristic Puppet Master had said he would do.

"Just leave me alone.... leave us alone... You're free to do what you want.... Just leave us alone!" Jamie tilted his head to one side.

"You're afraid of something... aren't you? Something you haven't told anyone... Keeping secrets again Jack? Haven't you learned the dangers of that yet... oh wait... never mind. Forgot who I was talking to." Jamie settles down beneath a tree, shifting his eyes from Jack back to the frozen figures. Jack growls suddenly.

"Just go away, you said you never wanted to see me again so why are you still trying to be around me then?!" Jamie turns his head back to Jack, his lips curling into a mischievous smirk.

"I asked you to go away... said I didn't need you... I NEVER said that I "never want to see you again." Jack growls.

"Well the feelings mutual." Jack glares, trying to push Jamie out of his head, his dream, his memory...


	19. Snow Fun

Jamie chuckles softly.

"Really now? Then explain that." He says, pointing to his frozen dream image. Jack feels pain enter his heart, he just wishes it to be simpler days again; that none of this had happened... unknown to Jack, Jamie can sense his thoughts as well as hear them and his amusement dies.

"Simpler days? Things were never simple after you entered my life." He says, purposely not meeting Jack's gaze, staring at the image of Mysterie with a tug of jealousy... though this jealousy was different from the one he had felt in his youth. Jack shook his head, trying to force Jamie out only to get backlash from it and he grunts in pain.

"Why don't you leave me and her alone now? You can do what you want now. Now that I, the burden, am not in your life correct?" Jack growls. Jamie didn't bother turning.

"Now  _when_ did I ever say  **that**?" His tone was tinged with slight amusement, a hint of his former self showing through as he simply lounges against the tree. Jack sighs and goes to the tree closest to him, the figures vanish leaving only the view of the lake. Jamie glances over at Jack now, robbed of his view of the figures.

"For a Guardian of FUN you sure don't seem to have much these days.

"Well what do you expect? First of all meddling with my life and two, well let me just say I lost my best friend that I loved and of course I'll be sad and not okay, and third, world problems and my fears being brought out so yeah... of course... how do you expect me to be fucking fun?!" He yells, irritated and angry. Jamie raises an eyebrow at Jack.

"I wouldn't say you have yet... She's too loyal for that... as for your fears... well that was just curiosity. Something you never really allowed anyone to know, I know they say curiosity killed the cat but I'm not a cat. Although... I'd have to say none of that stopped you and her from having some FUN a few hours ago..." He smirks a little. Snow slightly pounded the lake at an unnatural rate as Jamie spoke, Jack flushes a bright blue suddenly.

"Were you watching or feeling?!" Either way, Jack was pissed and was going to beat the snot out of Jamie in a second... Jamie shrugs a little.

"I wouldn't say either entirely... either way... not like it's anything new... I was feeling THAT from the start of the bond. Not like I can help it, that sort of thing just projects on its own." Jack growls.

"Um, can you .... I don't know... get out of my head before I kill you in my mind!" Jack glares at him. Jamie's lips twitch at that.

"What? Would you rather spend time face-to-face then? Sorry... but my new place isn't quite ready for visitors yet..." He chuckles a bit darkly. Jack glares and breathes in a few times.

"I'm serious... get out before I kick you out." Jamie chuckles.

 

 

"Doesn't feel nice having the shoe on the other foot does it? You made a pest of yourself the ONE time I asked you to leave... and now I'm returning the favor." Jack started to mentally beat himself with his own staff as he trues to wake up.

"Why can't I wake up?!" He growls.

"Ah... well that... part of it is her sand... the other part is me I guess. I'm not going to terrorize you if that's what you think." Jamie chuckles a little at the very thought... no.. he doesn't intend to terrorize Jack as he had, inadvertently, during his last little "visit" with him." Jack shudders.

"Damn it." He flies off, his mind taking a different turn since he was bored and he creates a sled and a hill, ignoring Jamie completely. Jamie just watches. Jack sleds down the hill, slamming into a snow drift below with an "oof." He sat there laughing and then he starts rolling around in the snow, making a few snow angels followed by a snowman. A small smile tugs at his lips as he watches Jack and for a moment... he's not the Puppet Master... he's just... Jamie... Jack laughs for a moment before making fern frost pictures on every tree by tapping his staff to it and the lake and then it starts to snow. Jack smirks and decides to build a castle. Although he says nothing, Jamie doesn't realize the contentment that is leaking just a tiny bit from him to Jack as he watches him from a distance... A few hours later Jack wakes from the dream, smiling; happier than ever for some odd reason as he pulls the blanket off and cracks some bones back into place as well as fixing the bed before going in search of Mysterie, sure that she would most likely be in the massive library. It is easy to tell she's distracted from the bond, as Jack suspects, she is in the library pouring over a book she thought might be interesting from the title. Jamie still shadows Jack, but at a distance so Jack doesn't notice; a slight smile tugging at his lips as he senses Jack's happiness just as Mysterie does. For the moment, there was crack in the gloom that Jamie had put up.  Jack smiles as he finds her.

"Guess you like the library." He smiles at the many, many books. She chuckles as she glances up from the book she'd been reading.

"Ah, well... I've always loved to read."

"That's nice, so you ready to go? We could go to Puerto Rico." Jack smirks. Mysterie puts the book back and smiles, holding out her hand to him.

"Wherever you go, I shall follow." Jack smiles as he takes the two of them to Puerto Rico; as they pass many of the children wave and smile at the two of them. Mysterie chuckles a little, smiling at the children. She suddenly tugs at his hand to stop him a moment before they get too far from the children. A wish from them swirling over to her, she knew what the wish was without even really reading it and she smiles at Jack; whispering the wish to him and pointing to the children who want to see a bit of snow. Jack smiles and floats down to them, starting with tiny snowflakes of many designs that becomes a flurry snowy area. Jack smiles and throws the first snowball in Puerto Rico, which starts an all out war. He dodges a few here and there and doesn't notice a girl who is watching Jamie, who stands behind Jack several feet away. The girl tugs on Jack's sleeve and points to Jamie who notices and melts out of sight before Jack catches sight of him. A slight smile on his lips... he hadn't thought that his little trip here would mean nearly running into Jack or that he would attract attention. He had been looking for some decor pieces for the home he had mentioned; Mysterie turns to see where the girl is pointing and swears she sees something, but she shrugs it off when she realizes it was really nothing. She almost doesn't notice when several of the children whisper and point towards her as the snowball fight goes on, the only reason she notices is because suddenly she's pelted by several snowballs at once and she sees the giggling culprits. Jack chuckles when he sees this and whispers to the girls, they smirk and run over to Mysterie yelling out.

"GIRLS VS BOYS!" Mysterie's eyes widen, still surprised that they can see her before she hears the shout. She gives Jack a look that says she knows he's at fault and that he was going to regret it... she grabs some snow and the war commences.

 

 

Jack laughs as he pelts the girls, some of the girls hit the rival boys who say boys are better. Jack laughs and sticks his tongue out at Mysterie childishly. She grins and retaliates by making Jack eat snow when he sticks his tongue out at her when she flies up to him and smashes a snowball into his face before flying off laughing; sending the girls into a fit of giggles as they pelt the boys mercilessly. 

"Fall back!" Jack yells as they scramble into a tiny igloo for safety that Jack had created for them. 

"We have them on the ropes! After 'em girls!" Mysterie cries with glee and they yell as they give chase to the retreating boys. Jack yelps, slinking slowly as his "men" were defeated slowly. He accidentally leaves his staff in the entrance of the igloo, unable to fly or run for it now. Mysterie laughs triumphantly as they bring the igloo down around Jack and the boys who are captured; Jack yelps as he's hog tied with the girls' jump ropes while the boys yell and throw snowballs at the girls, trying to protect their new "leader" while Jack yelps as he's nearly hit with a few in the ensuing "battle." Laughing at the girls, Mysterie distracts the boys by pelting them with snowballs and using sand to tickle the lot of them as she calls out.

"Time to torture our captives!" Mysterie demonstrates the "torture" happily and the girls copy her, tickling Jack and tackling some of the boys to do the same.

"NO I DON'T LIKE TICKLES!" Jack giggles as he's tickled by one of the tall girls who finds one of his feet and Jack laughs harder as his foot is tickled. The girl who finds the ticklish foot says something to the others in Spanish that Jack doesn't understands and points to his feet.

"No, no, not my feet, no!" Hey yells in happy torture, chuckling. Mysterie giggles with glee, tickling her two captives until they cry out for mercy and she lets them up; then she sets to helping the others tickle each and every boy until they cry for mercy.... leaving Jack... Mysterie smirks.

"O-oh n-no! NO ha ha!" He gasps for air, not crying for mercy just yet; unaware Jamie is duly noting this event for his own reasons. He was thoroughly amused by the display, shifting to a closer shadow; hiding behind a snowman a child had made. Some who hadn't been on the snow war converging on Jack, younger children, who begin to tickle him until Jack had a small crowd of children who were tickling him while Mysterie hovered over him with a grin, using her sand to help tickle him since she couldn't get close otherwise. Eventually Jack begins begging for mercy.

"I GIVE! I GIVE!" He yells, gasping for breath. Mysterie repeats it in Spanish and they all draw back, giggling while Mysterie grins down at him in triumph.

"Never underestimate girl power!" Jack gasps for air.

"I-I'll n-never underestimate your p-power again." He smiles as he stands up and grabs her hand, waving goodbye to the children who wave back.


	20. Dream Tease

Jack shows Mysterie beautiful areas by the water, feeling slightly tired after a while he leads her to a place he had once built there. Jack opens a window over an old bar, it was quite clean and vast; a couple of hammocks are in the room.

"For long trips or if I get stuck in the sun." He says as if she'd voiced a question. She raises an eyebrow at him, impressed; which is easily felt over the bond.

"Very nice." Jack yawns, feeling more tired than usual.

"Why do I feel so damn tired all the time?" He tries to fight the sleepiness but it begins to win over and he lazily floats to one of the hammocks, laying down; pain hits him hard in his dreams. Mysterie settles into the other, worrying over his pain... unsure what is causing it. When Jack enters his dreams, Jamie is waiting for him; frowning slightly as he senses Jack's distress as well.

"Stressed much?" Jack groans.

"What do you want now?" He says, rubbing his back as it feels like it was snapped in half or something. Jack looks around, noticing the change of scenery to the ice cave in one of the bedrooms. He wonders why the two of them were there again. Jamie doesn't think twice about what he's doing, moving over to stand behind Jack. He lightly skims one hand down his back, his power flowing over him to soothe the pain even as he answer absent-mindedly.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" There is a tinge of amusement in his tone. Jack shudders and wonders, just wonders, why? He jumps away from Jamie, slightly irritated and slightly shocked, rubbing at his back where Jamie had touched him as he sighs.

"Thanks." Jamie chuckles a little, pleased with the reaction he got initially before Jack had jumped away.

"Any time." He glances around at the room.

"Back here again huh? Well, I guess you did build the place... Wonder if anyone else is here... or did you send us here for another reason?" His tone changes with that last bit, dropping a little into a hint of seduction. Jack flushes and slowly the scene changes to his room at the North Pole. 

"Much better." He says, feeling a little more pleased, he looks at his closet memories, of what lies in there, only to shudder and freeze lock the door. He then sits on his bed, not sure what to say since he has started to get used to Jamie's daily dream visits though he still wonders why he even visits anymore. Jamie chuckles when he sees Jack flush though he raises an eyebrow when he freezes the closet.

"I'm going to guess you don't like those... Although how is changing from the ice cavern to your bedroom here an improvement? Oh wait... you really  _did_ intend for us to be alone, right?" Jamie grins a little, hoping to get another rise out of Jack... He was enjoying teasing the winter spirit just a little more than he had expected.

 

 

Jamie leans against the nearest wall, arms loosely crossed as he watches Jack. Jack shakes a little, a need inside himself ... for Jamie - and it burns only for Jamie - rose in him and Jack began glowing a bright blue as he ducks his head and groans into the pillow on the bed.

"Oh god." Jamie smirks, knowing full well what he was doing as he spoke.

"Need an itch scratched Jack?" Jack shakes his head.

"N-no." He blushes hotly, a blush that creeps over the rest of his skin as he turns from Jamie.

"You know... that's a little contradictory there..." Jamie shifts his position, quietly closing the distance between him and Jack. He moves to whisper to Jack's ear in a quiet, seductive tone.

"You sure about that?" As he speaks, one finger skims up Jack's spine. Jack's body squirms under his touch and Jack shudders and tries to get his body to pull away but at the same time it felt so nice. Jack fights with his inner battle of what he should be doing. Jamie chuckles softly by his ear.

"You really shouldn't fear what you want Jack..." Jack groans, his body becoming more sensitive to Jamie's touch.

"I-i can't... I..." Jack gasps a bit in pain as his pants felt tighter than before.

"Mmm... I think you can... You just won't... there is a difference..." Jamie purrs, he skims his fingers along Jack's shoulder blades.

"Although... do you even know the difference, Jack?" Jack's body shudders, pleasure starting to take over even as he shook his head and tried to force himself away from Jamie's touch. Jamie doesn't press further, inwardly grinning as his plan was working very well so far... He moves back over to where he had been standing before and leans against the wall, he didn't seem to be affected really, but saying he wasn't would be a lie... This plan was hard on him, he wanted to just... but no, that wasn't part of the plan yet... Jack whines at the loss of contact and looks at him with desperation to get rid of that terrible itch. He merely raises an eyebrow at Jack, hands stuck in the pockets of his jeans just to have something to do with them besides touching Jack...

"What's with the look? I'm not going to rape you after all." Jack shakes his head and growls at Jamie for toying with him. He pushes him out the door and slams it, locking it and fully ignoring him. Jamie shakes his head for being pushed out, with Jack having locked the door he decides to tease him further as he takes care of his own arousal on the other side. Not bothering to quiet the moans that slip out. Jack shakes his head, covering it with the pillows from the bed but it wasn't working and he groans with the need... the need was so strong... Jamie sighs out Jack's name when he finally hits his climax, but after that he makes himself decent and saunters off around the rest of the place which seems to be devoid of anyone else. Jack groans in pain... the pain was becoming unbearable, the area around Jamie was quite strange... After a while he circles around back to the room.

 

 

"You staying in there all night?" Jack shudders and glares at him through the door, deciding to ignore him from now on.

"Yes." Jack turns from the door. Jamie leans against it, calling with a slight smile on his lips though he knows that Jack can't see it unless he enters the room; which he wasn't going to do yet.

"Don't need any help with that itch then?" Jack groans, his body aching; he covers his head with the pillows again as he shook a little, the itch becoming a burning pain. Jamie sighs a little when he doesn't get an intelligent response. Okay... he hadn't meant to torture him quite THIS much... After a moment of debating with himself he presses his hand to the door, using his power to phase through the door itself. Without a sound he goes over and sits next to Jack, lightly placing a hand on his shoulder. Jack jumps at the contact. His voice is quiet when he speaks, in that moment he seems like his old self; not asking anything and yet asking quite a lot...

"Jack." He wonders if he took things too far too quickly. Jack shudders, many things going through his head, most of all fear. Jack feels tears slipping and the pain grows at Jamie's touch.

"P-please stop." He says though the tears. Jamie says nothing for a long moment, but he does wipe away Jack's tears.

"I'm not him Jack. I won't do that to you." His voice is calm and soft. He knew about his future counterpart, but only through his sister who had heard pieces of the whole ordeal from Mysterie. She hadn't admitted it outright to Sophie but the two of them had worked it out on their own. Jamie had vowed he would never make that mistake. Ever. Jack shudders, a little pain in his body; sadness pooling in and the need for Jamie burning brightly. Jack chokes on a sob and buries himself in his hoodie as the tears kept coming. Jamie wraps his arms around Jack, but nothing more. Simply holding him as he cries. Jack shudders, soon having no tears left only left feeling hallow and dead inside; the pain slightly dulled as Jack hiccups and looks up at Jamie with a "why?" expression. Jack groans, feeling the pain.... it was oh so painful.... Jack blushes blue at the growing tent that was very noticeable. Jamie says nothing, he meets Jack's gaze but offers no answers as he might have before. Jack sighs and just sits in silence for a while. Jamie sits with him in the silence. Jack coughs, breaking the silence. His voice quivers slightly and still a little broken.

"W-why do you visit me in m-my dreams instead of face to face?"

"Easier to do for now. My mind isn't as taxed here as when I use my powers when I am awake." 

"Oh? so how is the lair working out?" Jack asks with a sudden smirk.

"Funny." Jack lightly punches his arm.

"Awww, come on. You didn't forget to have fun did ya?" He asks with a chuckle. Jamie smirks.

"Didn't I ask  **you** that earlier?" Jack grumbles.

"Smart nerd." Jamie just grins at that.


End file.
